


For My Friend

by Hairi_Esh_Mooncake



Category: Naruto
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Gaara is new to all of this, Jealousy, M/M, Post-Fourth Shinobi War, Romantic Friendship, Sexual Tension, clueless!Gaara, dense!Naruto, hurt!Gaara, hurt!Naruto
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-04-26 20:36:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 45,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5019565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hairi_Esh_Mooncake/pseuds/Hairi_Esh_Mooncake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post 4th Shinobi World War. NaruGaa. Temari and Kankurou push Gaara towards arranged marriage while Naruto starts to realize that his feelings for the redhead are not all that platonic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Soo... it's my first fic in the Naruto fandom and so is of Naruto/Gaara pairing... so any feedback or advice is more than welcome ^^ Please enjoy!
> 
> Soilers alert : I've finished the manga, so some things may pop up from there.

**#1**

Two pairs of eyes met each other head-on. One a pair of azure blue, another a pair of teals. They were not the eyes of children. They were the eyes of those who saw the struggle of the real world: war, suffering, death... the eyes of true shinobi.

Unwavering determination shone from the pair of blues, challenging whatever the world had ahead of them. Slowly, two tanned arms were lifted, stopping in mid-air. The tension in the room was so thick one could almost cut it with a knife. A drop of sweat ran down the blonde's temple.

In that moment, something passed through the teal eyes, making his companion gulp audibly.

"Wrong."

"Argh! Not that again!" Naruto's hands came up to pull at his hair in frustration, a fine porcelain cup falling to the floor, shattering without having a chance of survival.

The redhead heaved a sigh at yet another cup falling at the feet of his friend.

"Man, I can't do it anymore!"

"You're not taking this seriously, Naruto," Gaara stated in his low timbre voice. He was sitting on his legs, back held straight and a cup of sake placed gracefully in his hold.

"I  _am_  taking this seriously, but..." the blonde protested, settling down to sit cross-legged on the floor with his arms crossed and a frown on his forehead clearly indicating his irritation. "It's just drinking a cup of sake, isn't it? Why does it have to be made so difficult?"

"The drinking is not the reason for this ritual," the redhead replied in a steady voice, eyes lowered.

"I know! I know that, datte bayo! But... seriously, we've been at this for half a day already, and I don't think we're making much of a progress here... besides maybe getting a bit tipsy. Not to mention, everything I do gets "wrong", "wrong", "wrong" from you. It's reaaally starting to get on my nerves, you know!"

Gaara remained silent throughout the blond's outburst, then sighed. "How do you think  _I_ feel?"

Naruto was a first-class shinobi, there was no doubt about that, but he still lacked patience and tact, relying way too much on his impulsiveness. Though, the young Kazekage supposed, all those little things and traits he possessed were what let Naruto achieve all the things he had in his life. Including saving Gaara himself. That's why...

Naruto was still fuming, having his arms crossed against his chest, when the burning sensation of eyes upon him became too much and he opened his lids to stare back at the piercing teal eyes. "What?"

It was a moment longer in which Gaara held their eye contact until he diverted his gaze downwards. "No, nevermind. Let's start again."

"Geez, Gaara...!" the blond whined. "At least let's take a break, huh?" The blue orbs widened a fraction, glazing over with an attempt of projecting a pleading look. It was a high risk, he knew. Usually his tactic of melting the previous-psychotic-killer's-cold-heart would backfire, earning the blond ten times more intense training as a punishment for his less-than-honorable actions but there were a few instances when he succeeded. That alone gave him the strength to try once more.

"Naruto."

It was one of those voices, the redhead sometimes addressed him with, that made him stop what he was doing. Gaara was never one whom you could call cute or vulnerable looking but after he lost his "psychopathic tendencies" one could clearly see his natural charisma and leader abilities. The look he was giving the blond was one to be taken seriously for sure.

"This practice is for your own sake. It's necessary for you to know the ritual."

The redhead's words forced Naruto's eyes back to focus. "Gaara..."

"When you become Hokage..." the redhead started in a deep voice. "You won't be looked upon as a fellow comrade in the battlefield. You'll be observed, criticized and tested on every corner as a leader of your people. Although nobody doubts your shinobi abilities, they don't know you as a Kage yet." His eyes narrowed in deep concentration. "That's why... you can't make any mistake. Kage bonding ritual is only the first small step towards recognition by other nations."

"Suna and Konoha. There is no secret that the alliance we share is highly dependent on you and me. There'll be even more eyes on you with me near. It's important that the other Kages recognize you not as my friend or the world's hero, but as a responsible leader, capable of leading his country to prosperity and peace."

"Gaara, you..." Naruto trailed off, staring at his friend with the eyes full of wonder. After a moment they softened, giving them a gentle look. "Suna sure is lucky to have you as the Kazekage."

He missed how Gaara's eyes widened just then and continued in wholly different voice. Confident and strong. "Don't worry! I'll be sure to sit right next to you as your equal at the next Kage summit." A soft smile played on his lips. "So just wait for me, okay? And I don't think I've said this enough but..." He stopped and lifted his eyes to look straight at the pair of teals.

_"Thank you."_

Uzumaki Naruto. Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi. The hero of Konoha and the whole world.

Sabaku no Gaara. Former Jinchuuriki of the Ichibi. Kazekage of Suna.

Two completely different people, yet, at the same time almost identical. It may have been by chance that they have met, or it might have been what fate brought for them, but as the two stared right at each other, they didn't have to doubt the bond they had.

"Yosh! Now I'm fired up! For the sake of "Sunoha pact", let's raise those cups!" Naruto announced with a celebratory shout and a new sense of determination, a broad grin shinning on his face. "Tehehe."

Gaara let himself smile inwardly at that. When he was with Naruto at the times like these he could feel it himself.

 _That everything in life was still possible_.

The sun was long since set when Gaara finally gave Naruto the long awaited "Okay.", followed by a joyous shout "Yatta!" from Naruto.

With those words, the body fell down to the floor with a hard thud. "N-naruto?" Gaara blinked at his friend who was now laying still on the floor.

"Cn't... nwo... moooore..." a slurred reply came, making the redhead relax his tensed pose and sigh. The blond was out cold. Clearly having too much sake poured into his system all at once. Even the Kazekage himself was starting to feel the effects of the liquid, but he was much better at holding himself awake (mainly the result of countless of sleepless nights he had since early childhood from having Shukaku haunt his dreams).

Within minutes, a soft snoring was all that could be heard in the now darkened Kage bonding ritual room.

Naruto could never truly understand his importance in Gaara's life. Naruto was... not only his one true and very first friend but also the reason of the life's he had now existence. He changed it all. And since that  _fateful day_ , Gaara did everything in his power to reach the same ground as Naruto. To be accepted by everyone, but most of all, to be accepted by  _him_. Uzumaki Naruto. To stand on the same ground as him. As his equal.

Maybe it was because of the way he grew up, or of the way he lived his life up until Naruto, that he didn't even notice when everything he did in his life became because of  _him_. Becoming Kazekage, leading the shinobi army to war...  _He did it for his friend._

He settled his eyes on the sleeping form on the floor. Watching the steady rhythm of rise and fall of the blond's chest.

_Peaceful._

He always looked so without worry when he slept. The young Kazekage couldn't help but treasure those moments when he could see his friend so relaxed. It was a great blessing after the times they all experienced together. It hasn't been that long since the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War, the war that didn't leave anyone without a baggage. Especially Naruto, who fought till the end, with everyone, for the sake of everyone...

He raised his one pale arm, slowly reaching out towards and stopping only inches away from the spikes of yellow hair. He tentatively settled his fingers against the blonde locks, letting his slender digits run through them, letting himself experience the  _feel_ of them as he continued to brush them sideways.

_Naruto._

His eyes slightly narrowed, creating a small crease in his forehead. He knew what people would call this feeling he had. The tightening of the heart that was not inflicted by a wound. It was the same feeling he feared and longed for his whole life. The word that was engraved deep onto his skin.

_Love._

He could still clearly remember the time when that word alone was associated with nothing else but himself. And now he was trying to label thus the feeling he had for another.

_Was it really possible for someone like him to feel it?_

"One more..." Gaara's eyes snapped back to focus at the sound coming from the orange mound laying on the floor, stilling the movements of his fingers.

"One more... bowl of ramen...hehehe..." the blond muttered in his sleep with a silly grin plastered on his face and rolled over to his side, the Kazekage letting his fingers fall out of his hair.

_Love, eh..._

The edges of the redhead's mouth quirked up.

I wonder...

* * *

Two months have passed since their last encounter. Gaara was back to his duties as Kazekage of Suna and Naruto continuing to work on his dream towards becoming Hokage. Life was coming back to normal as more days started and ended, with each new sunrise the shadows of the war getting dimmer bit by bit.

It was a day as any other, when Temari and Kankurou finally decided that it was time for them to show their support to Gaara and a brotherly push in the right direction which he seemed to be lacking still at this point in time.

"Neh, Temari..." the younger sibling started as the pair watched over their hometown. "Are you really sure we should even attempt this now?" His tone made the older sister to turn her head towards him. "I mean, I know Gaara is not who he was and he is now rather well liked among the people but..."

"What, chickening out already, are you?" Temari teased with a feral smirk on her face.

"Th-that's not what I meant..." Kankurou stuttered with a sigh.

"I know what you mean," the young woman assured. "But it was also you who told me about it to begin with."

"I know. That's why now I'm wondering if it was the right thing to do..."

"It  _was_..." Her eyes hardened at the words. "I knew to some extent that Uzumaki Naruto meant a lot to Gaara but... he can't be his whole reason for striving in life. Especially when that feeling is not returned."

"And think about what would happen to Gaara if  _he_  went ahead and got himself killed."

"Temari!" Kankurou chided his sister, with a shock still visible in his eyes.

"But it's true! That brat might have gotten a lot stronger but he's also become a much bigger target for the enemies. There's no battle in which he was not involved in the last few years and if one of those days..." she trailed off, not daring to repeat the words again. When she started again, her voice was filled with years of pent-up sadness. "We only just got our brother back, I'm not ready to see him go towards that place again. And you know that, Kankurou, he  _will_ go there if anything were to happen to  _him_. Maybe even not come back."

A gust of wind passed them by, washing the words away as the two siblings contemplated the true meaning of them.

After a long pause, Kankurou finally broke the silence. "Well. Either way, there's no point in arguing about it when we don't even have the candidate for him."

The tension was broken and Temari let out soft chuckle. "Oh, but we do."

"We do?" the brother's eyes widened at that bit.

"Yup. It took me a week but I prepared a throughout list of fully checked five candidates for Gaara's marriage." Temari turned to look at her brother with a proud grin on her face.

"Wow. You sure do work fast," Kankurou stated in amazement. Even knowing his sister his whole life, she still managed to surprise the puppeteer.

"Come on, I'll show them to you."

A pair of voices still could be heard as the siblings disappeared deeper into the building, leaving the young man against the building wall alone to his thoughts.

"Marriage, huh?" the redhead sighed, tilting his head upwards. The teal eyes glazed over as they watched over the evening sky.

_Is it really for the best after all?_

* * *

**_A month later..._ **

Strolling through the busy streets of his hometown, the young shinobi let himself indulge in the fresh air, mixed together with bowls of tongue watering ramen. He watched the men lifting up wooden boards, working hard in rebuilding their home.

The blond rushed over to hold a piece or two, gaining gratitude and happy smiles in return. The village appreciated Naruto for who he was, and if anything, it was all the recognition he could have ever hope to have.

_Yabee._

Any thoughts of having a leisurely walk soon were forced out of the blond's head when he saw the true source of danger moving towards him in a fast pace.

That being...

_Uzumaki Naruto's fanclub._

Yes. There was such a thing now. No matter how unbelievably impossible it sounded.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto was ready to disappear in a puff of smoke when a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Naruto!"

He tilted his head to the side, and true enough. There she was. Running at incredible speed towards him without even breaking a sweat, a determined look on her face - the pink haired kunoichi, his precious friend and-

He was laying flat on his face.

"Gaah, Sakura-chan!" Rubbing his sore cheek, the nation's hero tried to sit up. For all the good qualities the pink haired shinobi possessed, she sure had a punch. He sat there for a while, nursing his bruised cheek, when something occurred to him. No. Rather he  _remembered_  something. With an uneasy feeling in his gut, he darted a quick glance to the side, only to heave a sigh in relief.

_The danger was gone._

He couldn't blame them, really. Even if it  _was_  his  _fanclub_ , nobody dared to mess around with the legendary Sannin's disciple.

"Naruto." The demanding voice made him look up, only to shrink into himself at the still present fist.

"Sakura-chan..."

"Where've you been? I've been scanning the area for you for over an hour now."

"Ah, were you?" the blond answered sheepishly. "Sorry. I was teaching village kids some basic ninjutsu and then just decided to take a stroll."

The sudden glint in his dear friend's eyes told him that he must have said something  _very_  wrong.

"Ehehehe." Naruto laughed nervously while his one hand came up to scratch at the back of his head.

"A stroll?" The deadly voice asked. "Does "meeting at noon" ring any bells to you?"

"Eh?" Naruto asked, confused. When suddenly - "AH!" - he exclaimed, jumping on his feet. "That's right! There was such a meeting, right? Argh! What do I do? Kakashi-sensei is gonna kill me!"

The pink haired girl just sighed, defeated. " _Hokage_  wasn't very pleased when you failed to show up and you  _would_  probably be getting two weeks of D-ranks as punishment-"

"Eeh!?" Naruto yelled out in horror.

" _But_!" Sakura pointed the word, gaining back the boy's attention. "That's not why I'm here."

"Eh, is something else wrong?" Naruto asked, curious and a bit concerned. The war didn't end that long ago for him to fully be able to let his guard down.

"No. In fact, you're in luck. Suna's Kazekage has requested a meeting with the Hokage, so the sand siblings are coming. Well. Since I wasted an hour on your search, they might have already arrived."

Naruto's eyes light up at once, like a kid's on Christmas' eve. "Gaara's here?"

"Yes, but as I was saying- Oi, Naruto!"

"Sankyuu, Sakura-chan!" the blond called out with a grin on his face while already jumping from roof to roof.

A vein shot out at her temple, fist clenched impossibly tight as she watched the disappearing back of the blonde idiot. "Naru...TO!"

* * *

The Konoha guarding team announced their arrival just as the three figures stopped at the gate of the hidden village. Konoha's leader, Hatake Kakashi, the sixth Hokage was already there to greet the siblings.

"Welcome. It's a pleasure to see you, Kazekage, and your siblings." The silver-haired shinobi smiled at the guests, although, that could only be implied by the slight stretch of his mask.

"Likewise, Hokage," the redhead started in a deep voice. "I appreciate the hospitality."

The two stopped to exchange a look, taking in each other's position until the silver-haired shinobi cracked first. Averting his intense gaze, he sighed.

"Maa... I'll just call you Gaara, after all. Thinking about it, using formalities now is just too weird."

"Hokage-sama! That's-" Temari was first to protest, but before she could take a step further, a hand shot out to stop her.

"Very well," the redhead agreed. "It's more comfortable for me too. Though, in the presence of Shinobi Alliance we'll resume to use our proper titles."

"Well then, it's settled." The both parties smiled at each other in agreement.

_"GAARA!"_

An incredibly loud yell suddenly disturbed the calm of the situation. In a second, the blond jumped down from the rooftop and came up to stand right by the Hokage, in front of the sand siblings.

"Naruto." Gaara didn't even blink, already used more than it was healthy to such behavior of the blond.

"You..." Temari started, when finally got over the initial shock.

"Yo, Naruto. You're as energetic as ever I see." Kankurou smiled.

"Oh!" The nation's hero exclaimed in a pleasant surprise, seemingly only now noticing the other two. "Kankurou, Temari. Nice to see you both! Did you come for a visit?"

"No," Temari sighed. "We're here on an official business. Well, Kazekage is. Kankurou is his official advisor so of course he had to come along."

"Ah, that's right. Sakura-chan told me just now. So Gaara and Kankurou are here for the meeting...what about you then?"

"Me?" Temari blinked in surprise, her cheeks, Naruto noted, gaining a shade of pink. "I-... I-I just didn't have much to do."

Naruto smirked in a knowing way. "Suuure suuure." He nodded. "I'm sure Shikamaru's already waiting for you."

"Eh, he is?" she asked, when suddenly she realized what she let slip up. Her eyes widened, only to shrink back into a glare seconds later.

"Tehehe. Caught you!" Naruto grinned in victory, toying with the eldest of the sand sibling's temper. She got ahold of her fan behind her back and was ready to swing it any moment, Naruto standing in the appropriate defensive pose.

"You-!"

_"Naruto. Temari."_

The low voice coming from their group made them freeze in their respective spots. They didn't need to look to know that Gaara was watching them pointedly. Knowing better than to unleash the Kazekage's wrath, the two relented, relaxing their stances.

"Well," Kakashi started in a casual voice. "If you're quite done here, we may as well move to Hokage's office. Kankurou may come with us. Temari, you're free to explore around Konoha until evening. Then come by the office."

"Understood."

"Eh? What about me?" Naruto protested when the group was starting to scatter. He looked at them all with lost puppy eyes.

Kakashi sighed. "You may go explore the streets of Konoha too, Naruto."

"Eeek, that's not fair! Why can't I go to the meeting too!? It's important for me as a future Hokage to be involved in these stuff, didn't you say so yourself?"

"That's true. And you already missed your meeting today."

Naruto shifted uncomfortably at that. "Geez, I'm sorry about that. I promise not to miss it again. So I can go to this one now, right?"

"No, you stay put," Kakashi stated.

"Why?!"

"Naruto," Gaara called out, making the blond shift his gaze to the redhead. The pair of teals were watching him intensely. The redhead seemed to do most of his talking with his eyes. Of course, from years of being in his company, Naruto could counter their attack now. He stared back, hardening his gaze to show his resolve. He won't give up. He will not! He-

"I'll meet you later," Gaara stated, averting his gaze while passing by him, leaving the blond standing still. Naruto just stared at the empty space for a moment, until he finally softened his gaze.

"Okay. I got it," he grumbled to his friend's retreating back.

The group was already a few yards away when Kakashi suddenly turned around and darted his eyes straight at Naruto. "I just wanted to confirm that you respect the  _privacy_  of this meeting, okay, Naruto-kun?" Hokage smiled in that devilish way of his and got back to walking with the sand shinobi.

A chill ran down his spine when Naruto thought about what Kakashi-sensei could do to him as the Hokage for deliberately not listening to the order. Still...

A broad smirk grew on his features. He woldn't be Uzumaki Naruto if he just let the meeting go to waste like that.

As the future Hokage, there was no way he was missing out on anything!

* * *

"Well, here we're then," the Hokage stated casually as the trio strolled into the room. "Although, I doubt my attempt at scaring Naruto off worked. Knowing him, he won't just sit still."

"Probably not," the Kazekage agreed, a small smile playing on his lips. It soon disappeared, though, leaving a somber look in its wake.

"I'd expect you letting Naruto attend if it was an alliance matter, so I suspect it's not alliance related?" Kakashi asked, as he sat down on his chair, motioning for Gaara to sit down on the chair opposite him and leaving Kankurou to stand by his leader's side.

"Yes," the redhead agreed. "It's more of a personal matter."

"Well, whatever I can help you with. I'm listening."

"First of all..." Gaara started in a deep voice.

In a sudden movement a wave of sand rushed right towards Kakashi, making the silver-haired shinobi quirk an eyebrow. Just as it seemed to envelop the Hokage, it made a circle around the Hokage's chair and stopped there, making itself solid.

Nobody moved in the room for a second. Kakashi settled his gaze onto the redhead. Gaara's eyes were boring into something behind his back, dark and unforgiving. Furthermore, they seemed to narrow even more within a second.

Kakashi could only be glad that the boy was their ally. It wouldn't be good to get on his bad side.

_Oh, that's right. They once were._

Ironically enough, the very same reason of the real start of their alliance was now dangling upside down between the two leaders.

"No! It's a misunderstanding! I'm telling you! Gaara! Oi! Urgh. Kakashi-sensei! Listen to me!" Naruto struggled in the sand's grip.

Just when Kakashi thought the boy would be thrown out of the window the sand retreat a bit, only to rush back in, wrapping around the boy's middle. In a fluid movement of Gaara's fingers, the body disappeared with a puff of smoke, leaving an annoyed face staring at the empty space.

* * *

It got him by surprise when Naruto's clone dispelled and he gained his memories. But he guessed it was only to be expected. Gaara was trully evil... Now then...

good thing he never had only one kage bunchin summoned.

* * *

"Maa, seems you _really_  didn't want this matter to be heard by Naruto," Kakashi observed as the Kazekage's sand was slowly pulling itself back in the gourd.

"It's not that..." a whisper echoed inside the room.

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow at him. No matter how you look at it, the Kazekage was acting a bit odd.

He watched how the redhead just sat still for a moment, a faraway look on his face. Kakashi tried to decipher it but with each added line on the redhead's forehead it was starting to worry him more and more. It seemed like the Suna leader was trying to reach some kind of resolve within himself.

After seemed like forever, the redhead finally let out a heavy sigh. It seemed his resolve was made.

"Are you familiar with Taira clan?" he started. Kakashi could only blink for a few times, not expecting this type of question.

"Hmm... I've heard that they're Iwa's most prestigious clan, although this generation seem to not have any shinobi in it. For that reason, the question of power seems to be a hot issue in Iwa right now."

"True," Gaara agreed. "Hoshino Mika is the sole heir and the only daughter of the clan's head."

"Hmm," the Hokage hummed in agreement. "Is there a problem with her?"

"No. I asked of your assistance because of the strong alliance Konoha and Suna have," he said and Kakashi could swear he heard sadness in his voice. "I thought it'd be most politically fitting."

"Well..." Kakashi closed his eyes. "I'll do everything in my power to help you out, but I'm not sure I understand what it is about yet..." he trailed off, observing each movement of the readhead's. Sadly, the mask of indifference was already back on, preventing Kakashi from making any more assumptions. Though, the next words were the least the silver-haired shinobi had expected to hear.

"I'd like to ask you to hold an engagement ceremony here."

He could only blink. "Engagement ceremony, huh? I see. Well, I suppose it's safe to assume that Hoshino-san is the bride. Who's the groom then?"

Somehow, when those pale teal eyes connected with his, Hatake Kakashi already had a suspicion of what the answer would be.

* * *

On the other side of Konoha, surrounded by joyous chatter and stomach gripping smells, sat a very still figure. His one hand still held the half-filled spoon, frozen in mid-air.

"Naruto?" Someone called out to him, but he paid no attention. His eyes were opened wide, gaze unfocused as he watched the world ahead of him without actually seeing it.

_You're kidding me, right?_

Silencing down all the background sounds around him, all he could hear was the pulsing of his own blood and the words echoing inside his head over and over again.

_"I'd like to hold an engagement ceremony here."_

_"Who's the groom then?"_

_"Me."_

**_to be continued..._ **


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with this story!

**#2**

Harsh gust of air slapped his frame as the blonde rushed down the streets of Konoha. He used the edge of the building as leverage for gaining better speed.

_Gaara was getting married._

It was impossible. Such words couldn't have possibly left the redhead's mouth. He must have heard wrong. Heck, his second kage bunshin was probably discovered and threatened by the Kazekage himself. He wouldn't put past his clone betraying his real self. After all, he knew better than anyone of his friend's wrath...

That's right. That's what it was. Nothing else.

It was one big joke.

It was a well known fact that the Kazekage had no sense in humor.

And if by some..  _insane_  chance it was actually the truth… no. It couldn't be.  _It couldn't_. But if it was… Naruto wasn't sure what he should think about it.

He thought there were no secrets between the two. They already share the darkest fate with each other. How could anything be bigger than that?

The blonde lowered his gaze, tightening his fist.

Why?

_Why didn't Gaara tell him?_

He gritted his teeth together, making one last jump in the air.

* * *

He walked down the corridor, his feet picking a pace by each step. Somewhere around in the background he noticed Shikamaru scrathing the back of his head, probably getting‚ _troubled_ by something and then calling out to Naruto when he just walked past him. He didn't want to be rude to his friend but he serioulsy had more important things at hand now.

He reached the corner and nearly collided with the pink haired kunoichi.

"Oi, Naruto!" she called out after him, but he just kept on going, seeing only one destination.

He didn't know why he was so bothered by it. But somehow... it was seriously pissing him off.

The doors opened up just that moment and a pair of teals locked with his own blue irises, making him stop short. They both knew what Naruto had heard, there was no hidding it now.

"Naru-" Naruto didn't even let him say his name before he rounded on him.

"Why?" he asked in all the desperation he felt.

Impassive eyes met him dead on. "What do you mean by that?"

Naruto clenched his fist tightly. "Why is she your fiance?"

"As I said. We have plans for marriage," Kazekage only answered in a low, steady voice. No excuses. No anger. Nothing.

The blonde's eyes widdened at that. "You're kidding me, right?" Naruto cried out. "Why would  _you_  get married?"

Silence was the only thing he was met by. And eyes. Unfeeling eyes.

He hated this feeling. He couldn't read Gaara  _at all_. He always took pride in being able to understand Gaara just by a glance alone but now it was like the steel wall was so thick around the redhead that even he was having trouble seeing inside.

Taking a step, Naruto pushed on. "Is there another war coming? Or is there an inner conflict between the alliance?" He waved his hands around. "I thought the hidden villages were at peace with each other!"

Gaara's eyes only narrowed a little bit but otherwise he stayed still. "The Allied Shinobi Forces are at peace. There's no problem."

"Then why!?" Naruto yelled out, taking the last bits of steps towards his friend. "For what possible political issue are you doing this?"

"I'm not doing this out of politics, Naruto. It was my choice," the redhead sighed.

"Bullshit!" the blonde spat harshly. "I'm not buying it. You're not the type to get attached to people in such a short time and three months ago there was no word of your supposed 'fiance'. So tell me. What's going on?"

Naruto was panting harshly, his cheeks flushed, looking at Gaara with knee-weakening intensity. Gaara lowered his eyes, clenching his own fist briefly.

"That's true," he began slowly. "We're two people who do not love each other," he said, missing a hopeful glint in Naruto's eyes at his words, but just as quickly the light was crushed. "But... we like each other enough to form a both-way satisfying union between the nations," he said and lifted up his eyes, giving an unwawering look at his friend.

"What the  _heck_  is that?" Naruto whispered in disbelief.  _Was he serious?_  He felt his blood boil in his veins. Everything Gaara was saying just sounded too insane to be true. "Gaara... snap out of it!" He put his both hands on the redhead's shoulders. "It's not like you at all!"

The pair stared at each other. Not saying anything. Only harsh breathing of the blonde could be heard in the otherwise dead silence.

Naruto thought he was gonna loose it.

_Say something!_

_Deny it!_

_Make excuses!_

_Something!_

_Just… Anything!_

A sudden clearing of the throat disturbed their silence.

"If you want to continue this conversation, I suggest you both to relocate." Kakashi's voice rang out. "You're starting to take an unwanted attention here."

True to his words, there seemed to be a small crowd gathered just outside the Hokage's office. Some were more discreet some were more bold, but shinobi of all kind gathered around to watch the intense scene play out.

If Naruto could think more clearly at the moment, he would probably be more embarassed about the whole situation, but now he paid it no heed.

Before Naruto could open his mouth, the Kazekage spoke up. "That won't be necessary," he said calmly, like this whole freaking situation wasn't even affecting him at all!

He made to move but Naruto grabbed onto his shoulder just in time. "Gaara!" he yelled out, forcing him to face him again.

"Naruto. That's enough."

Pushing his hands away from his shoulders, the redhead brushed past him, leaving Naruto staring at the empty space.

The rejection stung a lot more than Naruto could handle at the moment. He could only watch Gaara wide-eyed, not believing, until Sakura broke in.

"Naruto! What in the  _world_  are you doing?" She took him into the head-lock, closing her eyes in frustration. "Gosh, creating a scene like that," she huffed. "I apologize for this baka's behavior, Hokage-sama." She took Naruto's head in one hand and forcefully bent it for a low bow. "Apologize!" she hissed in a whisper. Naruto only remained silent. If anything, it was a sign as any that something was very different about the nation's hero.

He then broke free from the pink haired kunoichi's hold and stood up straight, his eyes gazing on the floor.

"O-oi!" Sakura called out to him.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei. I think I'll go now," he said in a low, quiet voice and disappeared down the corridors.

* * *

Naruto's head was spinning.

He could feel blood rushing to his head, sings of an awful headache already forming.

He couldn't understand what had just happened.

He went straight to the training grounds to vent his frustration on something.

In a second a powerful blue ball of energy collided with a tree, sending a row down together with it.

_Why?_

He thought back to the time when they met.

Another rasengan colliding with a tree.

_Why?_

… to the time when they fought…

Splinters scattering in the air from the sheer impact of power.

_Why?_

... to the time when they became friends…

_Why?_

… to Gaara becoming Kazekage….

….to Gaara's death and the anguish he felt…

He thought of the war…

After the war, he finally got his best friend back. Sasuke was back with the team 7. Still, at that time, Gaara was already a big part of his life and he couldn't cast him away simply because his long time lost friend returned.

Gaara was already important…

_So why?_

What they had with Gaara… it was different from Sasuke. Somehow… somehow it was. They understood each other.

_So why could he not recognize his friend today?_

_WHY?_

He trembled from the deep within.

"-uto!"

He breathed out a few harsh breaths. Somewhere in the distance he could hear her approaching. If it was anybody else, he wouldn't probably have let himself be seen. But  _she_  was different. So he let himself be found.

"Naru-tooo! I told you to wait up, didn't I?" she called out in an annoyed voice but stopped short, when she saw Naruto.

He just sat there.

"Naruto..."

He gathered a tuft of grass in his palm. "No matter how hard I think about it... it's weird," he whispered lowly.

"What is?" Sakura asked softly, slowly approaching him.

"Gaara!"

Her eyes narrowed. "And how's he weird?"

"Not you too, Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed, lifting his head to look at her in disbelief. "He's getting married!" he cried out in an obvious voice. "Gaara! I mean... why?" His eyes were wide open. "There's no reason for him to marry. He was never interested in that stuff and now suddenly..." he trailed off, his voice catching. He averted his gaze, gulping. "It's just weird, isn't it?!"

"You know, Naruto..." Sakura spoke in a low voice, leaning down towards him. Just as suddenly, she punched him straight in the face, sending him flying a few meters away.

This time Naruto got up from the ground to cast a betrayed look towards his friend. "What was that for!?" he cried out.

"Naruto, you baka!" she yelled at him, freezing him on the spot. "Shannaro! Gaara getting married is weird? How's that weird? And it coming from you of all people," she muttered in clear agitation. She couldn't believe the nerve he had!

Naruto was still looking at her like he couldn't understand her. "Saku-"

"I can't believe it...!" she cut him off. " You should know better than  _anyone_  how Gaara grew up. Shunned by his own village, hated by his own father and avoided by his siblings," she ranted on. "In other words, without family!"

At the word, Naruto's eyes widened.

"Yes,  _family_ ," she agreed, then continuing in a calmer voice. "And that is what this marriage can give him - a family of his own. He could become a father he never had himself."

Naruto was stunned to silence.

He thought he understood his friend best. To always know what he needed most. But he clearly didn't think enough for him…

"A family...?" he whispered in barely a whisper.

"Yes, you baka," the pink haired kunoichi agreed fondly. It seemed it finally clicked for him.

"A family..." Naruto whispered once more. Somewhere inside his chest he could feel a tightening of his heart. Instinctively his one hand rose to clutch at the fabric over his heart. It was beating fast. It was hurting.

Mostly out of shame.

_A family…_

He didn't even think of the possibility of that being the reason.

That's right, Gaara deserved a family more than anyone. He was alone for so long. True, he now had his siblings but if he could also have his own,  _whole_  family….

He swallowed harshly, closing his eyes. A shuddering breath escaped his mouth. "I made a right jerk out of myself, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," she agreed.

He sighed. "Sorry, Sakura-chan. I don't know what came over me. I guess... I just thought... I don't know," he admitted sadly. "It's just... Gaara was always  _there_ , you know. I suppose I expected nothing to change..."

"But that's impossible, isn't it?" He looked up at her. Sad, glazed eyes were shinning with unshed tears. Naruto always showed emotions much deeper than anybody else. They always shone right through him, making it impossible for others to ignore. And it was not just happiness. Sadness was that much deeper too. Looking at him now, something inside Sakura broke for him.

"Naruto," she began in a gentle voice. "Just because Gaara's gonna have a family, doesn't mean that he'll stop being your friend," she said, and with a second of hesitation, settled a comforting hand on his shoulder, giving him her support and understanding. As much as she could.

Naruto was grateful for Sakura.

In moments like these, he would be reminded why he had been chasing after her for so many years. Her fierce personality and gentle heart was something to be admired.

Just as her words.

Her gentle words were meant to soothe him, to reassure him, he knew... but they done anything but that. So all he could do was avoid her gaze as he watched the evening's darkening sky.

"Yeh. I know."

_**to be continued...** _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know this's a bit shorter but still do leave me a note, I want to hear what you thought of this chapter ^^ Any advises are much appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, I don' know, I just got this inspiration and thought would post it when it's written. This chapter holds a surprise for you, ehehe.

**#3**

For the past four days Naruto didn't visit him at all.

Since their quarrel, the blonde seemed to have disappeared deep into the corners he cound not be reached. The redhead knew that he was all right because he could still sense his chakra when he would pass near by him but it would disappear just as soon. Never too close.

And that could only mean that Naruto was purposely avoiding him.

He didn't want to think how much he missed the blonde's company.

And thus, Gaara, consciously or not, shut himself in the Kage's studying room, reading over the international contracts for the last four days.

_It has been four days._

A heavy sigh escaped the redhead's mouth.

He hated fighting with his friend. He tried preventing Naruto from hearing about  _the matter_  for this very reason alone. If he knew it would so horribly backfire, he would've tried to talk with Naruto sooner.

No.

That's not entirely true.

He probably wouldn't have talked with Naruto sooner either way. After all, the  _real_ reason why he postponed it was because to the last second he wasn't sure if he wanted to go through with it. He understood the  _reason_  behind the union, but his  _heart_  wasn't really into it.

If he wasn't a nation's leader, he would've probably chosen to follow his heart, but working so hard to finally be accepted by its people, he didn't want to disappoint anyone any more.

Marriage with Hoshino Mika was as good a settlement as any. He didn't want to be greedy for more.

He only wished he knew how to fix things with Naruto soon…

* * *

For the past four days Naruto kept his distance from a certain redhead.

Somehow… he felt like he couldn't face him. Not after the way he acted towards him.

Frankly speaking even now, after doing nothing but pondering over the reasons of his actions for the past four days, he was yet to come up with an answer.

_Why did he get so mad?_

Was it because he didn't hear about it  _first_? Or simply because he wanted to hear it from  _Gaara_  directly?

His eyes narrowed in thought.

Well, for that he could only blame himself. If he obediently listened to Kakashi-sensei's warning and didn't eavesdrop on a private conversation he would've probably eventually heard it from Gaara himself. Though, that would make him one of the last people hearing about it….

"Gah!"

Naruto's hands went up to pull at his blonde locks in frustration.

Why was this so frustratingly confusing!? The whole situation was giving him a headache.

He sighed, slumping into his form, with his legs crossed.

Why couldn't just things stay the way they were?

They were happy the way they were now, weren't they? The world was finally standing up on its feet after the war, finally starting to see hope for a new tomorrow. There wasn't a need for things to change and get complicated again!

Wind seemed to change direction at that moment. His inner senses picked something out of place but he was too deep in thought. And since the aura didn't alert him to 'danger' he let it slide.

_Was his fanclub out to get him again?_

Geez, give him a break already!

He sighed again.

Sasuke wouldn't let him hear the end of it if he was here now. Surely making fun of his state of gloom.

"Yo, Naruto," a mocking voice echoed in the otherwise empty street. You could practically  _hear_ the smirk on his face.

Yeh, that annoying fellow here…

Hold on. Wha-

He shiftly turned around to a face of a self-absorbed bastard, standing tall on the rooftop of a building with a hand casually poised onto his one hip. His raven hair fluttering in the wind.

"SASUKE!" the blonde yelled out, blinking a few times in surprise. Sasuke smirked at him.

"Waiting for someone to cut you through, eh, Naruto? Were've your senses gone to?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the insult. "I heard you approaching."

"Don't lie."

"Oh, shut up, will you?" he muttered exaspered but with a hint of amusement back in his voice. "I didn't know you were coming. What're you doing here?"

"Just visiting," Sasuke replied in a calm, collected voice. This guy was really pissing Naruto off with that 'superrior' attitude of his. But he was still his best friend. And you gotta accept the flaws of your friends, no matter what they are.

That's right.  _He_  was the one with flaws here.

"Got a matter to settle with the Hokage," Sasuke ended, bringing the blonde out of his inner world. He jumped off the rooftop and landed just across from Naruto.

A dark cloud seemed to have situated itself above Naruto at that moment. His eyes were hiden behind a curtain of his blonde locks. "What, are you getting married too or something?" he muttered. There was an unusual  _edginess_   _in his_  voice.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. A dangerous glint appearing in his eyes. "What?"

"Nevermind," Naruto brushed it off, still avoiding his friend's gaze. He tried to side-step him but Sasuke's voice stopped him.

"Listen here, dobe. I don't care what Sakura thinks. I have no intentions of marrying her."

Just as expected that seemed to hit the nail.

 _He did_  not _just say that._

At once, Naruto sprung around, his face contorted in anger.

"What did you say?! Teme!" In the next second, Naruto had his hands full of Sasuke's clothes, breathing harshly into his face. "I knew I couldn't leave her to you. You bastard!" he yelled out in the face of a perfectly maintained composure of the raven-haired boy.

"I don't need your permission to see her," Sasuke said, just as calmly.

"What!?" Naruto yelled out, his eyes widenening in disbelief. "So you'll keep seeing her but won't marry her? What's the matter with you!?" he kept on going, his blood boiling at the injustice. "Sakura-chan loves you so much and you keep mistreating her like that…"

It was like all those years were for nothing!

He let go of Sasuke, stepping aside from him. "If you're not serious about her, just go away!"

"Are you gonna take my place then?"

"Grr, it doesn't work like that, you bastard!"

"Oh?"

"Gezz, just forget it!"

A moment passed when Sasuke just watched the huffing face of the other boy. He then raised an eyebrow in question.

"So I should marry her, huh?"

"Damn straight you should!" the blonde yelled out with vigor. A determined look shinning through his eyes.

Sasuke stared him down. Moment later a sigh escaped his mouth.

"Then why the hell were you so pissy about me seeing the Hokage just now?" he asked with unusual harshness, which could only mean annoyance or exasperation spoken by Sasuke, but there seemed to be a hint of…. Was that  _care_?

Feeling suddenly uncomfortable being put under such a gaze, Naruto shifted from foot to foot.

"Tch. It doesn't matter now," he mumbled, shifting his head to the side.

"Does this got to do with Gaara?"

Naruto felt like suddenly being hit by a train. A jolt of electricity running through his system. He slowly turned around to face his ex-nemesis.

Sasuke had a knowing look on his face.

_That bastard!_

"What? How do you know about  _that_?!"

"Causin a scene like that outside Hokage's office, better ask who _doesn't_  know about it."

"Geh."

"Are you an idiot or what?" Naruto shivered from the sudden harshness in Sasuke's voice. He felt like a kid being scolded by his parent.

 _Gaaah! He did_ not  _just imagine that!_

"Why would you have a public argument with the Kazekage?"

"Moo..! I don't know, okay!"

He turned his back on the raven-haired boy and sat down on the ground with a huff.

_Why did he argue with Gaara…_

The blonde was unmoving, just sitting down there, unusual for his common outbursts of positive energy. He could feel the judging eyes on him in his skull. What was up with this? Since when Sasuke seemed to care what was going on in Naruto's mind?

"I don't," a cold voice reached his ears. Geh, he said that out loud. "I couldn't care less about your stupidity but I  _refuse_  to obey a ruler who's not worth his position."

Naruto's eyes widened.

_Did he just…?_

Did Sasuke just  _recognize_ Naruto as a future Hokage?

"Don't get it over your head," Sasuke muttered, his brows furrowed.

"Sasuke…" the blonde breathed out in astonishment. "You're actually one  _nice_  guy, aren't you?" He beamed at the other boy, standing up on his feet.

"Of course, if I just kill you now, nobody stops me from becoming Hokage myself," Sasuke shot in response. If the blonde dared to say another word… he wouldn't hesitate.

"Ohh, come ooon, Sasuke." The blonde put a heavy arm around the other boy's shoulders, grinning to himself. "Everyone knows that you wouldn't hurt your best friend."

Dark brows twitched in response.

" _Do you want to die_?"

Naruto gulped. "Nah, not today, I think," he ended in a small voice and let go of his arm around the other boy.

Having Sasuke around was a breath of fresh air. They may always be rivals, but they always were friends for life. They both saw a fair share of nonsense of each other that now it didn't even come as a surprise anymore.

He breathed out a puff of air.

"That day…," he started in a quiet voice. He knew Sasuke was somehow listening, even if he didn't let it show.

"When Gaara left with Kakashi-sensei to their meeting I thought they were purposely leaving me out of a Kages' meeting. As a punhisment since I was late. So I put my kage bunshin out to spy on them. The first one was discovered pretty soon, but I already expected that to happen. So I had another hidden…"

He swallowed, stopping before continuing.

"I sorta knew they wouldn't be discussing matters of politics when their conversation resumed just then, but still, I was curious, so… I let my kage bunshin stay."

"He said he was getting married."

"Hn." Was the only response from Sasuke, indicating he was listening.

"When I heard him say it… somehow… I felt strange." He crossed his arms around his chest, face twisted in thought. "Hmm… how should I describe it…"

"I guess… it was sort of a stinging feeling."

That was the first thing that made Sasuke look up at Naruto in surprise. The blonde still had his posture locked deep into concentration; head slightly moving up and down as if getting his points sorted in his head, arms still crossed together and expression on his face of one who had no clue at all what was happening.

"Eeeh…" A knowing look passed Sasuke's face.

Naruto's eyes blinked open in surprise. Startled, he took one step back. "Wh-what's with that disgusting face of yours?" he asked, stuttering the words out.

_Man, that was just so creepy coming from Sasuke…_

"Nevermind," Sasuke said, his calm mask back on. "It would be useless telling you either way."

"What did you say!?" Naruto snapped at the other boy, but could only witness the retreating back of raven-hair. "Oi! Where are you going? Come back here. Oi!  _Sasuke_!"

Not turning around to look, Sasuke only waved his hand to Naruto's desperate shouts.

"Hurry up and make up with Gaara. You're too annoying like this."

* * *

It was the sixth day and Naruto was on a mission.

This time for sure. He was getting his friend back.

He avoided him long enough and now he was just embarrassed about the whole thing.

But standing just right outside the paper doors he was frozen in place.

He prepared himself mentally.

He would just go in there and tell everything honestly.

He got a bit too emotional, because he wanted to be the one Gaara told about his marriage himself, and frankly it surprised him. Who  _wouldn't_  be surprised? It was  _Gaara_  getting married!

He shook his head.

Not good. Not good. This was getting him nowhere.

Think about the reason of coming here.

Gaara.

Yes!  _Gaara_. He came here because of Gaara. He wanted his friend back. That's it!

Breathing out a gust of air he stood up straight and with one swing of the doors, slid them open.

"Gaara! I apologize!" he yelled out in strong voice and bent in a deep bow, far more than was necessary but he wanted to show his sincerity.

Silence.

…eh? It was weird.

Well, he wasn't expecting to stun Gaara to silence but maybe those six days took a bigger impact on the redhead than he thought. Huh.

He processed to take a peak at the room from the curtain of his blonde locks-

"Naruto? Is that you?"

_Huh?_

That sounded too close like Kakashi-sensei's voice… no, wait. It _was_  Kakashi-sensei!

Faster than an ostrich, he straightened up just to come to face to face with not only Kakashi-sensei but what seemed to be a room full of old men.

"Eek..?" He blinked in shock. "Where's Gaara?"

Kakashi-looked at him strangely. "Maa... the Kazekage went out a bit, but he should be returning soon." Just then his eyes narrowed. "Why're you looking for him here, Naruto? Couldn't you sense him?"

And them. Couldn't he _sense_  them inside? Geez, what's with this? Why do these things just keep on happening to him?

No, of course he couldn't sense them inside because he wasn't concentrating on those instincts. He heard that Gaara has shut himself into the Kage's studying room and for the last six days that was the only place he associated the redhead with. He kept on imagining each scenario playing out in his head and they all started with him being in the Kage's studying room. So of course he didn't think that Gaara could not be there or that those… officials would be there instead of him.

Sasuke was right. He should put himself together. If this continues, there's no way he would get any support in him becoming the Hokage.

Gulping audibly, he muttered an 'Excuse me.' and shut the door closed.

He sighed, bending his head.

Now what?

"Naru…to?"

He jumped from the sudden sound of that low, husky voice directed at him after so many days.

Slowly turning around his heart skipped a beat at the sight of the red-haired sand shinobi standing just a few meters away from him.

His widened eyes seemed slightly more tired than usual, and the circles around his eyes more deeper. He was surprised to see him.

"Gaara!"

His eyes narrowed a bit, studying him. "What're you doing here, Naruto?"

"Weell… I'm not really sure, ehehe," Naruto laughed nervously, his one hand coming up to scratch against the back of his neck. He was getting nervous against the leveled look of the other boy.

Well, it was now or never.

He slowly lowered his hand down and looked up to stare straight in the teal orbs.

"I wanted to see you. Can we talk?"

He caught a slight movement of the dark-ringed eyes until they settled in their usual impassive state.

"I still got to finish a meeting with the Hokage and the others," he said. Naruto winced at the words.  _Failure again, huh?_

"But I'll be free in two hours."

_Huh?_

Naruto glanced up and was surprised to see a soft smile playing at his friend's lips.  _Gaara!_  He nearly jumped him in a fierce hug as he watched the redhead with eyes full of adoration.

"Of course! I'll wait for you near the gate!"Naruto announced with a huge grin on his face.

"The gate?"

"Weell." Naruto looked away at that, scratching his cheek in discomfort. "I just thought it might be better if we have a… um, more  _private_  chat, you know? I mean… don't want a repeat of what happened before…" He shot a couple of uncertain glances at Gaara's side until he finally got an agreement.

"That's all right. I'll meet you in two hours at the Gate then."

A wide grin split across Naruto's face. "Un!"

* * *

"What are  _they_  doing here!? How did they even found out about this place?" Naruto hissed in a harsh, panicked whisper from the high up of the tree he was currently hiding in together with his friend.

"It might be my fault," Gaara admitted with a slight frown on his forehead. "I have informed Kankurou of my leave with you."

Naruto titled his head towards the redhead. "Did you tell him where were you going?"

"Of course."

"Gah! Why!?" the blonde yelled out in a whisper.

When the two met up an hour ago near the village's gate, they left for the forest to have some more privacy. Naruto could finally apologize for his actions towards his friend and it seemed he was forgiven.

They both missed each other's company so they decided not to dwell on the bygones.

But their happy bubble was destroyed quickly. It seems Naruto's fanclub was more desperate than ever and now hearing the word of Naruto possibly being  _alone_ , mostly, in the woods was a sign to hunt him down.

So hence here they were. Hidden from the mere human girls, afraid to be noticed. Well, Naruto was.

"I'm a high-ranked guest of Konoha. It's important to know my whereabouts," Gaara explained to Naruto's previous question.

"Geh, don't you have any privacy?" the blonde asked while looking out for the whereabouts of the  _threat_ bellow.

"I'm the Kazekage. Privacy is not one of my privileges," the redhead sighed.

Naruto lowered his gaze in thought. "That's kinda… sad, you know."

"It's in your future too."

"Eh?" Naruto asked in confusion but then he realized. "Aah! That's right! They'll follow me like that too! Gosh, if I have to put up with being monitored each moment like that…" He looked back at the squealing girls shouting 'Naruto-samaaa, come on out!' and shuddered.

"Maybe you should rethink your path on becoming the Hokage, then," Gaara stated.

Naruto knew when he was being teased.

"That won't happen," Naruto said confidently, a sure smile on his face. "I'll become Hokage no matter what. Besides, I'm confident I can get away from them. I have years of practice for that, dattebayo!" He grinned to himself. That's right. He would be all right.

"I'm looking forward to you becoming Hokage," Gaara muttered softly, watching Naruto with fondness in his eyes.

_He believed in him fully._

Naruto was too concentrated to notice at that moment, so it was only after a while when he suddenly turned around his shoulder. "Neh, Gaara-"

_Soft._

That was the first thought he had after freezing completely still.

Wha-?

Somehow Gaara's face was way too close to his.

In this distance he could clearly see every freckle of his pale skin (if there  _were_  any freckles out there).

_Wow._

His skin was even more pale up close. And it was simply flawless. Not a hint of imperfection. Ah, but that must be because of his sand mask.

Eeh, he somehow felt disappointed by that revelation. He wondered how would Gaara's skin look like bare of his sand…

He moved his eyes to the dark-ringed eyes, a pair of teals staring right at him.

_Thump._

Staring at him up so close was making him nervous…. But wait a moment here!  _Why_  was he so close to him in the first place!?

He remembered turning around and then-

_Soft._

Something soft quivered against his lips and his eyes widened.

Ki…! He was…  _kissing_ Gaara!

"Aah!" At once he pulled back, nearly falling of the tree in the process. He was saved at the last moment by a cloud of sand, putting him back on the tree.

He breathed out harshly, clutching at his heart which was beating madly in his chest from the sheer adrenaline.

After what seemed like hours, he dared to take a peak at the redhead and at once his torturous mind remember what… what just happened (Aaaah! Don't think about it). He felt his face heat up. He opened his mouth to yell out again, but was stopped by a slightly colder palm against his mouth.

His eyes widened that bit more.

Gaara's face was once again up close.

 _No no no. No happening again!_  He was freaking out in his mind.

He barely registered a movement of the redhead's finger being placed against his own lips. "You said you didn't want to be found out," he whispered in a low, husky voice.

Naruto could only gulp.

_Huh?_

Found out?

Huh… oh! A light bulb dinged in his head. He focused his eyes on the redhead and he seemed to understand that the blonde remembered his predicament with his fanclub.

Naruto didn't have much more saliva to gulp down his throat but he still repeated the action in instinct and proceeded to nod his head, showing his understanding.

Slowly the soft flesh of his palm, moved away from Naruto's mouth.

The blond heaved a sigh of relief.

He seriously thought he would die there one moment.

"Naruto?" Gaara's concerned voice reached his ears. His ears twitched. He wished he could just skip this whole 'after the act' thing.

Goosh…

Mustering up his courage, he glanced up at his friend. It's all right. They were both understanding people. Gaara especially. He would understand that accidents like that just happen, right?

And it was not like anything really  _did_ happen…

_Soft._

Aaah! Go away!

He shook his head furiously.

"Naru…to?" again the concern filled voice.

Okay. He can do this.

Straightening his posture, he went for it head on. "I'm sorry!" he bowed towards his friend. Gaara could only blink in surprise.

"I don't know what happened. I just kind of… turned… around and then… I mean! It was an accident!" He closed his eyes tightly shut, praying for this to be over soon.

"I know," a steady voice reached his ears.

Huh?

He glanced up and  _finally_ really looked at his friend after the  _accident._

Gaara was watching him with mild interest but otherwise he appeared calm and not the leat bit angry.  _Hooray!_

Naruto cleared his throat. "Um… you're not... mad, right?"

Gaara knit his brows in confusion. "No. Why should I be?"

Naruto gulped once again. "Um… no, I mean… aaaah," he sighed in relief. "I guess not, huh? Ahahaha!" He laughed nervously, brushing the back side of his neck. "It was not like it was our first kiss or something, neh?"

"It was."

Naruto froze in place.

Huh?

"It was my first… experience," Gaara admitted, suddenly looking a bit uncertain of himself.

Silence.

"HUUH!?" Naruto yelled out in shock. He jumped on his feet, suddenly feeling himself start to tremble from within. "You… you…" he stuttered, pointing at Gaara.

"Yes, I've never been kissed before," Gaara said calmly, staring straight at Naruto's eyes.

What's up with this situation?

What the _hell_?

Then that means that he…

He was Gaara's first kiss!

_Yikes!_

"Um… etto..." Naruto was desperately trying to find what to say but his head was empty. He had stolen his friend's first kiss! How was he supposed to make up for  _that_!?

"Soo….why have you never been kissed before?" he blurted out and then clamped his mouth shut with his hand.

What sort of question was  _that_?

Fortunately for him, for some  _bizarre_ reason, Gaara seemed to be taking his question seriously. Suddenly his face twisted in a thoughtful expression and all Naruto could do was sit down slowly across of him.

He was surprised when a look of quiet sadness appeared on his face. "From the young age I didn't like anyone, nor had desired anyone's company. And the villagers were mostly afraid of me anyway," he began softly.

Naruto shifted his feet. "What about after you became the Kazekage?" he asked.

A small smile played on his friend's face. "By the time I became Kazekage, I gained their recognition but it also put me in a position that much higher than their own. Even if I didn't consider it so. I just wanted to lead my people, not enslave them. Still, its thought to be inappropiate to approach your leader directly, so nobody did," he sighed, closing his eyes.

Naruto lowered his head. Now he only felt more guilty. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"It doesn't really matter."

Naruto's head shot up at once. "Of course it matters!" he shot in a loud voice, startling Gaara a bit. "First kisses are important! It should be with someone you like, you know!"

The young Kazekage watched the harsh breathing of his friend. Still to this day, he was amazed to have someone fighting for him like that. It made him smile.

"Who was Naruto's first kiss?"

Naruto blinked at the question but then a dreamy expression clouded his features. He went to the time when he was still in the academy. He dreamt of pink hair and green eyes looking at him with pure adoration as his lips were closing up near hers…

Just as suddenly the imagine transformed into a raven-haired crow which was pecking harshly at his lips.

"AAAAH!" Naruto yelled out, a look of horror on his face.

That's right.

His first kiss wasn't how he had imagine it to be at all! It was that…  _bastard_  that stole his first kiss.

He hang his head in defeat. "…m-my first kiss…. It was gone in a split of a second….and I was saving it for Sakura-chan…. That teme….!"

Gaara watched Naruto's reactions in slight amusement. Naruto was so expressive sometimes. Gaara wished he could show his own emotions just as clearly. Maybe it would help in understanding himself better.

"Do you mean to say it was Sasuke?" he asked in wonder.

"Gah!" Naruto's look of utter horror was a clear confirmation as any.

Naruto was still sulking when he lifted his head to find his friend  _smirking_.

What's up with people around him? They always seem to be knowing something more than him these days.

"What're you smirking  _for_?" he asked, scooting closer to him.

Gaara only remained silent. His lips still slightly lifted up.

"Neh, Gaara! Come on, tell me!"

He didn't dare to tell Naruto that he somehow found it easier to accept it being someone who he didn't want it with.

And that he was beginning to feel a sense of content that his first kiss was Naruto.

It  _was_  important.

And it was with the person he liked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Ehem', so yeeeh, That happened, ehehe. Do put a comment bellow, I wonder what you're thinking.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm fearing this chapter because I'm uncertain if I didn't do something unnecessary with it... but I really felt like I wanted to give it to Gaara, so.... well, let me know what you thought! Thanks! REVIEWS are FOOD! ;DD

**#4**

Noisy chattering and tongue watering smells surrounded the busy streets of Iwa.

The young boy, who couldn't have looked older than eight years of age, with fair hair, pale skin and dark rings around his eyes seemed to be frozen in place as he continued to stare at the food stall before him.

He had been staring for the past fifteen minutes. Unmoving.

"Would you like a freshly baked taiyaki, kid? We've got bean paste, custard and chocolate fillings. Should I wrap one for you?" A bubbly voice of a woman behind the stall echoed in his ears.

The boy either appeared to not have heard her or simply ignored her as he continued to say nothing.

As bigger bodies pushed past him in the rush to get through the street, he still continued to stand in one place, a slight frown covering his small forehead.

The boy's gestures were so subtle that they could easily be missed but having years of experience on working in the streets, daily watching various kind of people, the older woman noticed the slight slumping in his shoulders when the fair haired boy saw the price tag.

It was nearly unrecognizable but it was there.

Gaara could only sigh inwardly.

All his money was inside his backpack, meaning - with Naruto.

Somehow while venturing through the busy streets of Iwa the two got separated. He wasn't concerned about Naruto finding him soon, he knew the blonde could easily sense him and would come to get him.

Still, it meant that he was left empty-handed now.

It was not like he especially desired to have a taiyaki, anyway. It was more like a childhood reminder of the one and only time he ever went out to get food for himself in the streets alone.

After his failure at subduing Shukaku, it was rumored to be a bad omen to start a taiyaki business, hence the production of the pasty was stopped altogether in Suna.

It was just a slight nostalgic feeling.

"No. It's fine. Thank you."

The boy finally told her softly, gaining a surprised look from her.

He turned to walk away from the stall but barely took a few steps when a Taiyaki, wrapped in paper, appeared before his eyes. He could smell the sweet aroma of hot chocolate from within.

"Here you go."

His dark ringed eyes watched the offered piece in stunned silence. He slowly lifted his wide eyes at the gently smiling face, urging him to take the food. He lowered his gaze at the outstretched hand, whispering faintly.

"I don't have have anything for payment…"

"Forget about it. My treat."

Unable to react, he just continued to stand there until two womanly hands took his smaller ones and put the offered food in them.

He could feel a pleasant heat coming right through his fingers and warming up his whole body.

His eyes stung a little.

"Ah! Be careful it's-… hot." The woman tried to warn the boy but without hearing her he already chomped on the fish's head, eagerly devouring everything.

The woman's eyes softened in a gentle, adoring look. "You must have been really hungry, huh, kiddo?" she wondered while watching the small body greedily munching on the pasty.

The hot, sweet flavour of freshly heated up chocolate filled his senses, giving a slight burn to his tongue. But he paid it no attention. Only letting himself fall in the possible past memories that never were.

"It's delicious," he whispered when he finished it.

Surprisingly he didn't even notice when he was already gulping the last bite.

"I'm glad you liked it," the woman's soft voice rang out in the busy street. A hand reached out to playfully ruffle his hair, making Gaara squirm a little but he didn't really protest.

Still, having the blood of Kazekage, the boy felt the need to express his gratitude properly and bowed slightly before the baffled woman. "I'm grateful for your kindness."

"Oh my, not only are you a cutie but have fine manners too." She chuckled softly, a hint of good-natured blush covering her cheeks. Gaara smiled warmly at her.

Just then a loud shout echoed throughout the streets. "GA!... I mean…YASHAMARU!"

Gaara sighed at his frantically looking friend, running towards him at full speed. He didn't look over sixty  _at all_. Not even to the most clueless people.

He wondered why did they even bother putting up the henge.

**3 days ago, Konoha**

Both Gaara and Naruto were summoned at he Hokage's office as early as the first rays of sunshine shone through the horizon.

"As you're aware, I'm not exactly permitted to give missions to another Kage," Kakashi spoke, pointedly looking at Naruto who was bouncing on his feet in excitement. "That's why you would both have to go into your henge," he finished with a defeated sigh while Naruto pumped up his fist in victory. "Yosh!"

The blonde was pestering the Hokage for two days straight. Refusing to let him have any privacy day and night. He was adamant on getting his way of getting himself and Gaara a short vocation away from the village. When it was quickly dismissed he asked voluntarily to be given an easy C rank mission.

When Gaara added that they could use this opportunity to check the living conditions of Iwa's people as it would help him in the future, Kakashi reluctantly conceded, noticing a slight flinch of Naruto at the mention of Iwa.

He was sure Naruto would refuse and they could all forget this outrageous mission the blonde was so set on going at.

Of course, Naruto wasn't one to give up that easily.

"Iwa, huh?" he mussed, seeming to have lost himself in thought for a moment. "Yosh! I should check it out for myself." He plumped his one fist against his other hand's palm, determination shinning through his face.

Kakashi feeling a slight pity for the blonde, gave up.

The pair decided to leave as early as they settled themselves into their henge. They haven't really decided on what they would go with but they all agreed that it should be something that would mingle well with the crowd of ordinary villagers.

Naruto didn't think long enough before he settled his henge on being an elderly man.

Gaara thought that it was impractical to have a bubbly shinobi as Naruto walking in a body of a sixty years old but what was done was done.

Putting on a henge required a lot of chakra concentration and once you settled onto something it was not an easy task to just put out of it and change it to something else. The chakra control for maintaining the image of the person one wanted to appear as took a lot out of a person so it was adviced to only do it once a day for a long term henges.

Gaara already had an image in his mind, focusing his chakra at the visual in his mind when Naruto just _had_  to barge into his subconsciousness.

"Neh neh, don't you think it would be  _amazing_ if you were a mini version of me? We could be a funny duo of ojii-san and chibi-kun. Tehehe. That would be fun."

And thus how Gaara ended up in an eight years old body.

**Coming back to the present…**

Naruto stopped just a short breath away from the pair, panting slightly. "I've been… searching for you. I thought I lost you." He looked at the smaller body in both anxious and relief filled eyes.

Gaara smiled softly at him. "I'm here," he offered, then adding, "Ojii-san."

The woman's eyes widened up. "Ojii-san? You're this cutie's grandpa?"

"Eh?" Naruto twirlled to look at the woman, still a bit lost with the whole situation. "Ah. Yeh. I'm Yashamaru's ojii-san. That's who I am. Ahahaha." Naruto laughed nervously, brushing the back of his neck.

"We should go… ojii-san," Gaara offered, lowering his gaze. He thought they took enough attention to themselves as it was.

Just when he thought they would leave, Naruto appeared before his face, kneeling at his eye level.

Gaara watched him with slightly widened eyes, unsure of what the smiling face was up to, before the said face reached out towards his face and seemed to brush something against it.

Gaara continued to stare.

"Ah," Naruto sighed. "I thought I saw something. Did you get yourself a pasty while I was away?" He smirked at him. The redhead felt his cheeks starting to burn. He hadn't realized he ate so sloppily. It was unlike his perfectly mastered table manners.

He blamed it on the smaller body he was stuck in.

This smaller body was a lot more trouble than he needed. For one, the amounts of chakra reserves he had in his adult body was unable to accommodate this body. He had to squeeze his chakra inside, putting on a big strain on himself. He always had to be on a lookout to not let his chakra run wild. For another, he was always hungry. He didn't remember the last time he had a craving for so many things at once.

Naruto was still grinning happily at him but Gaara felt the necessity to move finally. He was starting to feel uncomfortable, feeling the obvious adoring look of the woman, while watching their exchange.

He felt more and more like he was being treated like a kid and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

He barely registered how Naruto thanked the woman near the stall and turned to face him. "Shall we go?"

Gaara didn't meet his gaze. "Fine," he muttered.

The streets were buzzing with life. It was a Friday evening, there were people everywhere. It was kind of amazing to see them rush about their stalls, offering tons of delicious food, or watching the passing families with their kids in tow.

The redhead kind of felt… part of it as he walked side by side with Naruto.

He glanced up at the blond, well, now a white haired  _ojii-san._

If he let himself forget for a moment, he could imagine himself an eight years old kid named Yashamaru out in the streets of his hometown with his ojii-san.

He frowned at such thoughts.

He didn't like this mixed feeling he had in his chest.

It was confusing.

He felt himself dangerously loosing himself in the moment.

The next moment a red apple candy on a stick appeared in his vision. The pair halted their movements.

Gaara eyed the red object in his companion's outstretched hand suspiciously.

"What's with this, Naruto?" he asked monotonously.

"Ringo ame,  _Yashamaru_ ," the blonde replied, purposely pointing at his fake-name. "A candy."

"I can see that," Gaara replied with a sigh. "But why're you giving me it? You do realize that I'm not  _actually_  a kid, right?" He felt something inside him swirl. This whole situation was getting out of hand. They needed to put some kind of rules behind what was necessary for their disguise and what was-

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud sigh. He glanced up to watch the solemn face of his friend. He startled, when a pair of azure blues connected with his teals. He watched how they lowered and a hint of blush appeared on his old face.

"I didn't mean to upset you… I mean….you're already stuck in this body, aren't you? So why don't you just…  _indulge_  yourself in it?" he offered, smiling sheepishly at Gaara.

"Indulge…myself?"

"That's right!" The blonde beamed at him. "Let yourself remember what it was like to be a kid, you know. It would be fun! I promise you! Oh oh! And I could carry you on my back when you get tired, neh? Tehehe."

"What it means to be a kid, huh…?" the redhead whispered almost inaudibly.

He was never treated like a normal kid.

Frankly speaking he didn't remember what it was like being a kid. All his memories were filled with fear, terror and blood. He remembered he used to carry around a plush teddy bear in his younger days but that too, he torn apart himself.

Yashamaru tried to give him love behind closed doors, telling stories of his sister… only it ended in lies and deceit of his father's master plan.

He didn't resent Yashamaru or his father anymore. He understood why it did happen. But that still didn't give him memories of a normal childhood.

Normal…

Giving their free food…

Receiving a candy as a dessert…

Ruffling his hair in adoration…

Was this what real childhood looked like?

He turned to look again at his blonde friend who was looking sheepishly at him behind his usual smile.

He could see the sincerity in the blond's eyes. He really trully wanted to give this to him.

_Why was he given so much?_

He couldn't remember doing anything to deserve such precious treatment.

He wondered if it was all right to be selfish just this once…

This time when Naruto offered his bigger, wrinkled hand to the smaller boy, he took it without hesitation.

* * *

Gaara forgot for how many hours they had been roaming around the streets, but he was feeling the effects of it all. And none too pleasant.

His smaller body couldn't take much of a workout and being on his feet for a whole day, added together with the strain he felt on suppressing his chakra in this smaller body was just plain exhausting.

Beads of sweat were already forming on his fair haired forehead. He would also find himself panting slightly from time to time.

He didn't want to interrupt Naruto though. He appeared to be having a lot of fun in showing Gaara all of the places and proudly announcing to everyone what a cute grandchild he had(much to Gaara's embarrassment).

The young Kazekage didn't realize when at some point he let himself relax into all of this and just let himself be pampered by all the  _affection_  Naruto was showing him.

He wondered if one of the reasons his siblings decided to marry Gaara off was because he took too much out of  _him_.

_Would he ever repay his debt to the blonde?_

But all good things always came to an end. And when he finally stumbled on his feet, unable to walk properly on his shaky legs, he sadly came to a realization that he couldn't continue anymore.

"And you know, you know, I was thinking-" the blonde's voice trailed off when he noticed that he was walking alone. He hastily turned around only to spot the smaller boy panting harshly on the ground. He quickly rushed to his side.

"Oi, Gaara! Are you all right?"

Gaara smiled slightly in his dazed state. "I thought…" he panted. "It was… Yashamaru," he breathed out as more drops of sweat ran down his temple.

He felt a bit bad for putting such a worried look on Naruto's face. He looked worried stiff.

It was not like he was dying… but he did push himself to his limit.

"You must be exhausted. You should have told me if it was this bad," Naruto ranted on, looking the smaller body up and down.

"I didn't…" Gaara started thinking of saying one thing but then decided to be honest. He owed him at least that. "I was having fun…" he whispered softly.

Naruto stared at him, his eyes soon gaining a gentle understanding look.

"Yosh! I think it's time for that piggy back ride now," the blonde announced with a new sense of eagerness and before Gaara could protest, flung the boy onto his shoulders, holding onto his legs.

Gaara flailed a bit but then quickly squeezed his tiny arms around the blonde's neck, afraid of falling down.

"Tehehe. It's a bit of a different feeling, don't you think?" he mused in thought. "Yosh! Prepare yourself. We're going at full speed!"

The redhead could only bring his cheek against the broad back of his friend, keeping silent.

* * *

The sun was set and they had nowhere to go so they decided to make a stop at the nearest inn.

As luck would have it, the inn they stopped at was the place of none other but the woman and her chief husband's who were kind enough to give Gaara free food back in the streets.

Seeing the exhausted look on the smaller boy's face, they quickly took pity on them and offered their last empty room to the pair, assuring them that it was no problem since they were already like family to them.

Gaara could feel each rumble of Naruto's chest as he talked and laughed. And the feeling of floating and slightly bouncing up and down as he walked brought back memories of his long forgotten past.

Of those very rare stolen moments of happiness in his childhood.

He didn't realize when they were already inside the room and he was carefully lowered onto his feet. He watched in daze as Naruto set up their belongings in one corner and started on setting up the bedding.

He smothered the cotton sheets and lazily bounced onto the bed. Sighing in what seemed contentment.

Gaara was still awkwardly standing by the door.

Sensing his hesitation, Naruto turned to him and with a small smile urged him to come.

The redhead frowned, unsure of himself.

"Come on! You need to rest and the bed is wide enough for us both.  _Grandpa is feeling lonely without you_ ," Naruto sang the last part out mischievously gaining a slightly tired but there dubious look from his friend. He laughed good naturedly at the redhead.

"Gaaaraaaa…" he whined in a painfully shrilling sound. Gaara felt himself wince. He was very aware of Naruto's tactics in getting what he wanted and he was sure he would not be winning against the blonde today.

He slowly crept towards the bed but still stopped just a few breaths short of it.

"I have never…" he stopped, his voice catching. "I'm not really used to sleeping with someone else," he admitted softly. A slight frown covering his face while he remembered the years of solitude.

He could feel the soft smile which was surely there on the blonde's face. There was a sudden change in the air as he felt a body leaning in towards him.

The next moment he felt himself flying right towards the bed, as he was pulled by his hand. His eyes widened when he found himself in the tight embrace, flush against the firm chest of Naruto.

"You know… it's all right to be happy," Naruto's voice reached his ears as his one hand brushed soothingly against the smaller boy's head. "You're not alone anymore," he whispered in his ear and Gaara found something inside him finally break free.

He buried his face into the warm chest, clutching onto the fabric of the blonde's clothes with his tiny hands. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut to prevent tears from falling out.

_Naruto… thank you._

* * *

The first rays of sunshine broke in through the window and settled on the pale face. Steady deep breaths continued to leave the boy's chest until the light started to tickle his features, waking him up from his deep slumber. Slowly he felt himself come back to consciousness. 

He was amazed at how well he slept last night.

It must have been the first time he slept peacefully throughout the whole night without waking up even once.

Even after having Shukaku extracted from his body, he would still find himself waking up in the odd hours of the night, unable to fully relax as his thoughts would wonder to anxiety.

Now, though, he felt like he would prefer to stay in bed a bit longer.

It was very comfortable.

Reluctantly he forced to open one eyelid. He blinked a few times until the image of the room focused and he realized that he was no longer faced with the firm chest he had fallen asleep against last night but rather was on his side, spooned by the very same body.

He felt how his body melded against the other boy's and quickly realized that he couldn't be actually feeling so completed if he were still in his chibi body. A quick glance at the firm but definitely young male's hand holding his middle just proven his point.

They both lost their henge overnight.

The Kazekage chided himself for letting himself be so careless but quickly felt the feeling go away as he let himself relax in the warm embrace.

It felt nice to be surrounded by such warmth.

He wondered if Naruto would be mad at him if he let himself indulge in the moment without the blonde's consent.

He wondered if he should wake the other boy up.

Just when he steeled himself to detach himself from the firm hands surrounding him, his back stiffened at the feel of something wet attaching itself against the back of his neck. Soft pair of lips moved along the area, leaving a moist trail in its wake.

It was an unfamiliar territory for the redhead.

He couldn't say he had ever been touched in quite that way. Still, he quickly realized the limits of his current sensations as his sand mask was still covering his skin.

He could feel the warmth seeping through, but that was about it.

He felt himself shift involuntary in the warm sheets as thoughts of wondering filled his young inexperienced mind.

_How would it feel like for him if there was no sand covering his skin?_

_How would_  he _feel for another with his skin bare to the touch?_

He wondered…

A slightly shuddering breath escaped the redhead's mouth as he felt the arms around his middle tighten their grasp and press their mouth more firmly against his skin.

He closed his eyes.

Now he could only be sorry to his friend for he would wake up with his mouth filled with sand as a result of chewing on his sand-masked friend.

His mouth quivered slightly, a bare hint of a smile appearing on his face.

He wondered how the blonde would react if he were to tell him that he didn't mind being his chew-toy…

The next thing happened in a blink of a second.

One moment he was contently laying in the warm bed and the next moment the doors to their (he thought 'closed') room flung open, revealing the chief's wife smiling happily at them.

Only the smile disappeared as soon as she took in the two, very unfamiliar young men snuggled together in the one bed where an old grandpa with his grandson had to be resting in.

For a moment there the two pairs of eyes stared at each other dumbly.

Both too frozen from shock.

Gaara saw the moment it all registered to the woman, and as she started to open up her mouth in a shrilling scream, he quickly got up and out of the bed, somehow stumbling out of it as a firm pair of arms tried to grab for him in the protest. He made a dash to the other side of the room; picking up his mini gourd, their both backpacks and a disoriented blonde in his other hand, finishing it with a leap out of the window, running straight for the woods.

* * *

By the time they reached the clearing, they were both out of breath.

"What…" the blonde huffed, resting his hands against his knees as he tried to get his breathing back. "What's… going on? Why did we run like that?"

Getting his own breathing back to normal, the redhead took a moment to answer his friend. With one last puff of air, he straightened up. "The chief's wife found out. We lost our henge overnight."

Naruto glanced up at his hands curiously. "Oh! That's right! I'm not an old geezer anymore." He then shifted his gaze towards the other boy and awarded him with a beaming smile. "And you're back to normal too."

The young Kazekage frowned a little at his choice of words but decided not to push it. Instead he turned to rummage through his backpack, checking if they didn't forget anything.

Just then Naruto started sputtering behind his back.

"Blah, why is my tongue full of sand!?" he yelled out indignantly, holding his tongue out while brushing the particles from the fleshy muscular organ.

The redhead stared at his companion for a moment until a soft chuckle escaped from somewhere deep inside his chest. He surprised even himself at hearing the sound coming from his mouth but he couldn't control it.

Naruto turned to look at him in amazement.

* * *

It all started pretty innocent.

As everything with Naruto.

The blonde was whining about feeling sand all over his skin and that he just  _had_  to wash it all away. And a conveniently standing there spring was just too sad of an opportunity to pass by.

_He showed him his puppy eye look._

Gaara sighed. He must have been more tired emotionally than usual if he fell for it.

"Waaah!" the blonde yelled out when he emerged from the water. "This is  _amazing_! Gaara! Don't just sit there!" The blonde waved enthusiastically at his friend, who was sitting on the shore, a reasonable distance from the water.

"It's fine," Gaara said in a low voice, his mask of indifference back on his face. "You enjoy."

"Noo, you have to get in there. It's scorching out there! You'll melt in this weather," the blonde protested eagerly.

"I'll be fine," the redhead sighed. There was no way he was getting anywhere near water.

It might have been hot, but he was used to the constant heat in Suna. He would be fine if he sat in the shade.

He was resting against the tree when a shadow, that not of the tree, put a shadow on his face. He glanced up at the grinning blonde. "I came to gather you," he announced proudly.

"Naruto-" the redhead began to protest, but was cut short.

"Seriously, come on! It will be fun! You had fun yesterday, didn't you? So, see? You can trust me on this."

"It's not that I can't trust you..." Gaara muttered, his eyes lowered to the ground. Naruto tilted his head to the side, curious.

"What then?"

"...the sand..." he mumbled.

"Huh?"

Gaara narrowed his eyes. "The sand. If I get into the water, the sand would become mud. I would lose my protection," he reluctantly admitted.

He didn't like feeling vulnerable and letting loose of his constant protection would put him in a position he never let himself be put in. His eyes narrowed slightly at the sad reality of it all. "I've never let myself in the open without my sand shield."

"Hmm..." Naruto hummed in thought with his hands crossed around his chest.

Gaara sighed in relief. Now that it was out in the open, he didn't have to feel that feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach at the mere thought of loosing his protection.

He thought wrong.

"But it's all right, isn't it?" he asked, making Gaara's eyes snap open to connect with his blue irises. "I mean... I'm here, aren't I? If anyone would try to come near, I would sense them miles away anyway, but even if they  _were_  to somehow get to us, I will protect you with my life," he ended cheekily, grinning at the stunned pale face.

"Naruto..." Gaara opened his mouth to reply but could not find the words.

"I told you... it's all right to indulge yourself when you're with me."

The redhead swallowed harshly at the sudden lump that formed in his throat.

_He wished he could give something in return..._

He quickly gathered himself to a standing position before he let it get over his head. He stared straight ahead at the bubbly blonde beaming at him with encouraging confidence and for the first time in his life let himself feel vulnerable by his own choice.

The pair of teals continued to stare at the sky blues as he felt a stirring of his sand, it slowly leaving his skin, leaving an exposed, bare skin in its wake. The blue eyes widened a bit, mouth parted in slight fascination as he witnessed it all unfold. Little by little the sand went down his face, down his arms, down his legs until a mound of sand gathered at his feet.

He shivered at the gust of air caressing his bare skin.

He hadn't felt more exposed in his life.

He was so preoccupied by his own new sensations that he failed to notice the intense stare the other boy was giving him.

He only got his senses back when he felt a harsh tug on his wrist, feeling himself gasp at the sudden contact, before he was flung into the water.

He rose to the surface, sputtering against the water in his mouth. He could hear a soft laughing voice of the blonde.

Naruto thought it was adorable how Gaara was behaving. In a moment of amusement he even thought the young Kazekage reminded him of a wet puppy.

He soon ceased his laughter though, when he _really_  opened his eyes at the image before him.

He felt something constrict at his chest.

Gaara was flung into the water in his white under-robe which was now clinging to his slender body like a second skin. The opening between the two folds was pushed wider from the weight of water, absorbed by the cotton material. He had his one arm raised, brushing the wet auburn locks away from his face as his lips were moving in a movement of closing up and opening again.

His  _rosy_  colored lips. And _flushed_  skin.

Naruto gulped.

The redhead while still mostly pale had a healthy blush covering his skin, it going down from his cheeks towards his neck and the opening of his robe.

He wondered how it would feel against his skin...

He remembered the moment in the woods, when he was wondering what it would feel like to feel Gaara's bare skin against his own and now with a nervous realization saw how close to it this moment was.

If only he could...

Always acting before thinking, Naruto was already a breath away from Gaara when he registered that his bronze arm reached up to cup the paler man's cheek, catching a droplet of water with his thumb.

The pair of teal orbs widened at the feel of another's skin brushing his own. He initially flinched at the sudden contact but somehow managed to make himself stay put. He glanced at the boy before him, waiting for him to say something.

Naruto reveled in the softness of it all.

He had to stifle a sigh which nearly escaped the blonde's mouth the moment his skin connected with the redhead's.

It was an exhilarating feeling, feeling Gaara up so close, feeling his warm breath against his own skin, feeling each tremor going down the redhead's body...

Tremors...

Naruto frowned at the sudden discovery.

"Are you cold?" he whispered in a carefully silent voice. He was amazed himself by the huskiness in it.

"Huh?" the redhead asked, showing unusual confusion and disorientation in his voice.

"You're shivering," Naruto explained.

He watched how the pair of teal eyes blinked back to focus. "Oh," he breathed. "It's not because of the cold."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the redhead's cryptic explanation. "Gaara, you're trembling quite a bit... sorry," he sighed in a guilty voice. "I should've probably realized that you're not used to the water's temperature-" he slowly slid his hand down Gaara's arm, resting both of his against the redhead's forearms. He noticed the muffled gasp coming out the redhead's mouth and he stilled his hands, instinctively tightening his hold on the flesh beneath his palms.

He felt a strong tremor against his fingerprints, but before he could question it, Gaara spoke up.

"It's not because of the water," he protested a bit more forcefully, stunning Naruto to silence. The redhead sighed. He lowered his gaze, appearing like he was unsure of himself, or battling with something deep inside himself. When it seemed he finally got his breathing back to normal, he looked up to stare at the blue irises. "It's not the water… it's probably because you're touching me," he said, in a somehow detached voice, it sounding more like he was giving an opinion on a book.

Naruto only blinked. "Huh?"

"I'm not used to other people's touch while I'm without my sand armor," he continued diplomatically. "It makes my skin oversensitive. So while you put your hands on my forearms…." he trailed off and then pointedly glanced at Naruto who was looking at him, blinking until a sudden realization hit him all at once.

He looked up and down from his eyes to Gaara's face until he hastily pulled his hands away. "Aaaah! I guess that would happen, huh? Aaahaha! I had no idea!" he rambled in a sudden embarrassment.

"It's fine," Gaara said in a sigh.

Naruto thought he would explode inside his mind.

Why did these type of things kept on happening to him?

It was like he felt an invisible pull to the redhead, making him act irrationally.

It must have been because of the kiss they shared, he reasoned.

It must have seriously messed him up in the head.

It was a reasonable explanation he mused... it was not often one would wind up kissing one of his closest friends and feeling the soft-

Soft skin.

Soft lips.

Soft  _rosy_  lips.

He stared at the slightly parted flesh on the redhead's face and felt his face heat up.

Gah! He actually _knew_  how those soft looking lips felt like.

Ah! Forget about it, head!

"Naruto?" Gaara asked when he noticed Naruto start to behave in that strange way again.

"Aaah! I think I have had enough of washing up. We should get out of the water right away!" he yelled out in enthusiasm and quickly jumped onto the water, pushing his chakra to gather onto his feet so he could quickly dash through the surface of the water.

_Honestly, what kind of thoughts was he having about his close friend?_

The redhead watched the blonde's retreating back with suspicion but quickly followed him.

* * *

On their way back to Konoha, Naruto avoided all and any topics regarding water substance.

* * *

Two days later Hoshino Mika arrived at the gates of Konoha.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite this being a difficult chapter, there's a little gift inside =}

**#5**

It was as early as 5:30 in the morning and if it wasn't an official business, Sakura would have already murdered someone by now. Now she could only sigh at her misery.

Today was the day Hoshino Mika was coming. Kazekage was to greet her by the gates and Sakura and Naruto were assigned to keep watch for them both.

Speaking of the blonde… he was yet to come.

Honestly, at first, she was against Naruto being part of this mission. She even tried pursuing Hokage to change his mind, but was only told that it was 'a deliberate test' for Naruto, to fully see if he had settled his 'issues with the marriage'.

She really wanted to believe in Naruto… but she couldn't help worrying.

"I wonder if he'll be okay," she whispered, watching the early morning's sky.

She was so lost in thought that she failed to notice how Naruto snuck up on her until the very last second. She spun around to a grinning face.

"Sakura- _chaaan_!" he sang in a joyous voice. "You look pretty today."

If it was anybody else, she would have already punched them by now (not that she didn't have enough reasons to punch the baka blond). She had to wake up at 4:30 today, there was no way she looked good. But since Naruto was too honest for his own good, maybe she didn't look  _that_ bad.

"Naruto. You're surprisingly energetic today," she noted while critically giving Naruto a once-over.

His behavior seemed suspicious.

The blonde seemed not to notice, though. "He he. That's of course. We're meeting someone important today, after all. I came fully prepared."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "By  _prepared_  you mean.." She only hoped he was not going to  _extinguish_  Hoshino Mika or something….

Suddenly  _it_  appeared. "Tadah! I thought we should give her a proper welcoming. What do you think? Would she like it?" A plain wooden board on a stick 'Welcome to Konoha!', painted in a messy handwriting was proudly held in Naruto's hand. On the bottom of the right side 'By Nanadaime' was added. Sakura froze in disgust and shock.

"No. I don't think she needs that one," Sakura muttered to herself with a hopeless sigh.

Although it was a surprise seeing Naruto so hyped up about this, she felt relieved. If he had the mind to pull something like that, he would probably be all right.

Naruto failed to stifle a big yawn from coming out of his mouth.

The morning wind ruffled his messy blonde locks, gathering dust in a whirlwind. He lifted up his hand, turning over his palm to let the brown particles gather.

No.

It was not dust.

It was sand.

He looked up just as a strong whirlwind of sand gathered before his eyes, briskly making itself solid into a male figure.

The thick dark rings stood out against his pale face, hiding his teal orbs from view.

Seeing his friend, Naruto's face lit up even more. "Gaara!"

The redhead greeted him with a soft smile. "Naruto. Sakura. I was informed the two of you would accompany us today."

"Hokage's orders," Sakura agreed. "Though he's yet to come…"

"He's late again…" Naruto added with frown on his face.

Suddenly there was a change in the air and Naruto could feel someone approaching. The next moment something orange came flying right at Naruto, who while still holding onto his board, used it to shield himself. The object simply deflected against the wood and fell to the ground. Naruto glanced down. Huh. It was 'Icha Icha series'.

Then someone came for him from the side. "Chidori!"

A voice yelled out and before Naruto could widen his eyes, that someone was already right across of him. He was just about to block or strike that someone when the face of the attacker stopped him.

"Wha-" His mouth opened up like a fish's.

"Kidding," the silver haired shinobi said with a smiling face, but the damage was already done. Somehow in the middle of the chaos, Kakashi managed to chop the wooden board in two.

"Aaaah! What did you do!? It was a present!" Naruto yelled out, once he realized what had happened.

"I haven't retired yet. Therefore, this board is illegal." He pointed out and straightened up, dusting his Kage robes. He squirmed a bit, it was not often he was  _forced_  to wear them, but each time it made his skin prickle.

"Do you know how much would this be worth once I'm Hokage?" Naruto went on, waving his hands around. "You just ruined a good chance at huge amount of money."

 _"_ _Illegal_  money."

"That's besides the point!"

The pair continued their small argument, leaving Sakura sighing at the two and Gaara simply watching them.

Honestly, he would be lying if he said he didn't feel anxious about letting Hoshino Mika and Naruto meet each other.

While their trip to Iwa seemed to strengthen their bond more than ever, the arrival of his fiance was still a topic the two avoided discussing together since  _that day_.

A sharp, solid laugh echoed throughout the empty area. "There's no way I'll believe you!" Naruto argued with a hint of amusement.

Gaara smiled at their exchange. Maybe he didn't need to worry after all. Maybe this day would not become a disaster.

He had faith.

The young Kazekage let the trio discuss whatever were they discussing while he kept on watch towards the path ahead. In a little while something moved in a the far distance that could be identified as a group of humans.

"They're here," the redhead spoke in a low voice, catching the trio's attention.

"Really?" Naruto exclaimed with an excited smile on his face. "Where? Where?" He squinted his eyes to see in the distance but he could barely say what it was he was seeing. "Are you really sure that's them? It looks more like a bear than a noble lady."

Kakashi kept silent, averting his eyes.

"Naruto!" Sakura chided him. "Don't be rude!"

"What? I'm just saying… hold on." He closed his sky blue orbs and concentrated on gathering the nature energy. In a few moments, his eyes were painted in orange rings. He opened his eyes.

"Weird. I don't sense anything," he stated with a frown on his forehead.

"Well, of course not. They have no shinobi, remember? You can't sense a non-existent chakra," Sakura sighed.

"Ah! That's right!" the blonde idiot exclaimed, while letting himself loose the sage mode.

It took a while longer but soon it could be identified as a pair of humans. One a chubby woman and another a skinny man by her side.

"It's not a bear but…. Ehh? It's only a fat granny!" Naruto exclaimed while pointing directly at the said woman.

"Baka, Naruto. Of course that's not Hoshino-san. What're you saying," Sakura hit the back of the blonde's head with her elbow. Naruto mumbled something under his nose while nursing his bruised head.

"She  _is_  Hoshino Mika," Gaara admitted in a calm, collected voice.

There was a pause.

"EEHH!?" both Sakura and Naruto yelled out from sheer bewilderment.

"B…but, but, I thought she was supposed to be a beauty!"

"That she is," Gaara agreed with a mischievous smile. Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of their socket at his admission. Don't tell me Gaara's eyes were _that_  damaged. It couldn't be.

When the duo finally reached the gate, Naruto had already went through various scenarios how he would save his friend from the sheer misery of life that was looking up ahead for him.

He glanced only for a moment, to  _make sure_  he was seeing the real thing. In that moment, the elderly woman gave him a small smile, and then in a poof of a smoke was replaced by a beautiful maiden.

Her raven hair was neatly tied to the side by a bright red ribbon. One side of her face was covered by her trimmed bangs and a red flower was attached into her hair.

She wore a bright(pink and red in colours), with a flower pattern yukata and a pair of traditional sandals. Her petite hands were elegantly held together on her front.

A gust of wind flapped the ends of her robe and her eyes finally fluttered open, revealing a pair of violet eyes.

It barely took a second for Naruto to react. "Oh! So it was just a henge. Phew. You nearly got me," he laughed good naturedly. After all, if Gaara's fiance turned out to be a grandma, it would be just too sad… "Uzumaki Naruto. Nice to meet you!" he announced with a huge grin on his face.

Something flickered in her eyes at his admission, but she quickly shook herself out of it and smiled politely towards him. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Naruto-san. I've heard a lot about you."

"Really?" His eyes widened in delight and he quickly caught the redhead's eyes. "Neh neh, Gaara, I hope you weren't saying anything bad about me."

The redhead only gave him a smile which held some secret behind it. Naruto nearly jumped at him from the sheer curiosity, but was stopped by Kakashi, who, seeing the look in Hoshino's eyes, stepped in to introduce himself.

"Rokudaime, Hatake Kakashi, is welcoming you to Konoha. Hoshino-san," he gave a polite bow in the girl's direction to which she gently smiled and bowed slightly herself, keeping her back very straight.

"Hmm…" Naruto hummed, she must be a real lady. A hint of a movement caught his eyes. From his side, Gaara stepped forward, taking his place across from Hoshino.

"It's a relief to see you safely arrive, Mika-san."

For a moment her perfect composure seemed to crack and a shade of blush covered her cheeks as she smiled warmly at the Kazekage. "Gaara-sama. I'm so glad to finally arrive."

Kakashi, always the observer, lifted his brow at her reactions. Oh dear. It seemed the situation was a bit more complicated than they were let on. And when his gaze traveled to Naruto he could only sigh. He was sure Naruto was not aware of the somber look he was showing.

"Haruno Sakura. Since I'm the only girl in our group, feel free to turn to me if you ever need anything." She smiled at the raven-haired girl.

"I appreciate it, Sakura-san."

"Don't mention it."

Suddenly Naruto jumped in.

"Hold on, hold on. But weren't your clan supposed not to have any shinobi in it?" Naruto asked in wonder. Every head turned to her direction. Kakashi seeing her solemn smile, seemed to understand something.

"I see. So this must be the bloodline limit jutsu," Kakashi stated from the sidelines.

"Hai. My clan indeed doesn't have any shinobi in it," Hoshino agreed. "Neither of us were born with enough chakra reserves to train into shinobi. This henge jutsu was the only thing we could use. It requires very little chakra since it was born in our Taira clan as bloodline limit. It's the only protection we have for ourselves. But we still require to meditate for 12 hours for a whole month to gather enough chakra for it."

"Is that so?" The blonde nodded in thought. "That sounds tough." He opened his eyes, starling Mika in the process as the pair of blues settled onto her violet ones. Just then, he briskly went to her and put a hand onto her shoulder. "You're pretty amazing, huh?"

She could only divert her eyes from the beaming smile directed at her. And when she finally lifted her eyes up, her attention traveled to the young Kazekage, who was showing a serene look on his face while watching their exchange.

"Well," Kakashi started with a clearing of his throat. "Should we go? I'm sure Hoshino-san would like to rest after such a long journey."

"I think that would be better too," Gaara agreed and motioned for Mika to go by his side.

Thus, Gaara, Mika and Kakashi were in one line while Sakura, Naruto and… what was his name again? Anyway, Pole-kun(because he was as thin as a pole) were left in the second group.

Naruto gathered his arms behind his head, giving an appearance of someone carefree and at ease.

He kept his eyes focused ahead, though.

The two figures walking right ahead. One male one female.

It was a strange sight to witness for Naruto.

Of course, Gaara was always a male, there was no questioning that. But usually he wouldn't be standing besides females that were not his sister or student. Standing besides Naruto, neither stood out more than the other. They both had very similar body structures and the only visible differences between the two were hair colour and the contrast between tanned and pale skins. Now standing next to a petite female body, Gaara looked everything like a male.

"Oi, Naruto!"

"Huh?" The blonde turned his head to the side. "Sorry, Sakura-chan. What was it again?" He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly at her.

"Geez… you turn hopeless once you settle your focus on Gaara."

"Eh?" Something inside his chest skipped a beat at her words.

"I was telling you that there's going to be a welcoming celebration for Hoshino-san this evening. You better not be late," Sakura just continued normally, thus letting Naruto relax.

"A celebration, huh?" He wondered in thought. "I guess it's a big deal that she came here."

"That's obvious. Not only she's a noble lady from a foreign country, she's also the fiance of the Kazekage."

"Hm…"

They walked like that in silence for a while, when he felt Sakura fidget beside him.

"Hey, Naruto."

"Hm?"

"Are you all right now? I mean…  _with her being here_?" she whispered the last part out, in hopes to not take neither the trio ahead or Pole-kun's attention, who was awkwardly walking a few meters behind them now.

Naruto's heartbeat started to pick up pace again and he felt himself starting to blab from nervousness. "Ha ha ha, of course I'm all right. Gezz, Sakura-chan. What do you take me for? Hah… " he breathed out heavily, and continued in a more serious note. "She's Gaara's guest. I won't do anything to upset him."

"Naruto…"

"It's fine, it's fine. I'm totally over it. I have no idea what came over me before. Ehehe," he laughed loudly, acting like everything was perfectly fine.

It was not.

The first time he got this feeling, he had done everything from meditation to intense training till complete exhaustion to get rid of it.

Now it was back. That  _unpleasant_ feeling.

_Geez, what should he do!?_

He can't let his emotions get the better of him again. He won't upset Gaara again. But… how does he get rid of it?

* * *

When they finally reached the Hokage's office, Naruto felt more exhausted than he was after an intense fight.

He was trying really hard for the sake of his friend but his mood was not improving one bit. It also didn't help in the least to know that Gaara made a drawing for Mika.

That's right.

A drawing!

He didn't even know that Gaara could draw.

 _"_ _Eh, drawing? What drawing?" he asked once he overhead Hoshino thanking Gaara for it._

 _"_ _Ah," Gaara seemed to shift from his one foot to another, showing a strange expression on his face. "It's nothing. Just a small gift."_

 _"_ _It's not small at all!" Hoshino protested vigorously. "I treasure your drawing very much."_

 _"_ _You can draw!?" Naruto exclaimed in disbelief. Now that was new._

_Seeing the blond's reaction, Mika closed her hand over her mouth. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Maybe you didn't want others to know."_

_"_ _It's fine," Gaara only sighed._

_Naruto was left standing dumbstruck. Gaara could draw? Since when? "I never knew…" the words left his mouth before he registered them._

_"_ _I guess some things are only meant to be between husband and wife," Sakura said casually._

_I didn't need to hear that, Sakura-chan… Naruto could only think._

_"_ _Ah, Sakura-san. You shouldn't say that. We're not married yet," Mika protested weakly but her flushed cheeks sure were not convincing._

_Sakura only swatted her hand away. "It's fine, it's fine. After all, it's only formalities. You two are already promised for each other."_

_A big cloud of gloom situated around Naruto. "Sakura-chan…"_

_Hearing her name, she spun around "Eh? What's wrong, Naruto?"_

_"_ _No, it's nothing."_

Coming back to the present, Kakashi-sensei just addressed the two of them. "Naruto. Sakura."

"Hai!"

"You two are dismissed. I still got some things to discuss with Hoshino-san and Gaara-kun."

"Eh? What're you going to talk about?"

"If I wanted you to know, I wouldn't ask you to leave now, would I?" Kakashi replied with a smile. It was 'disobey me again and forget about me retiring' kind of smile. The blonde sighed.

"Stingy," he muttered under his breath and reluctantly bowed together with Sakura, afterwards leaving the office.

The two went in silence.

Sakura kept shooting Naruto glances from time to time to which the blonde was either oblivious or ignored them. Both reasons being more than weird.

She kept observing Naruto for a while now, and while she wanted to believe in what Naruto was saying, she wasn't his friend for that long without actually knowing him. Something was seriously bothering Naruto and desperate effort at hiding it was just not healthy for such a person like Naruto.

"Say, Naruto…"

"Hmm?"

"Are you perhaps...  _jealous_ of Mika-san for taking Gaara away from you?"

His eyes widened, words getting stuck in his throat. A sudden panic ran down his features and he quickly masked everything away under his usual cheerful mask.

That's right. Naruto was wearing a full-on mask right now.

"W-what are you saying, Sakura-chan. Ahahaha. There's no way I'm jealous over Gaara."

He tried to cover it up but his mask was so horribly slipping that she couldn't take seeing him like that anymore. "Naruto. You can't keep doing this." She stopped walking, affecting Naruto too. He kept his back to her as his shoulders shook.

"Doing  _what_ exactly…?" he whispered, his voice catching at the end. "Because I sure don't know what am I doing."

"Naruto… what's  _really_ bothering you?"

"I…" He opened his mouth to say something but the words didn't leave his mouth.

"Gaara considers you his best friend. His very first friend. You're the most important person in his life still to this day. That won't just change."

"I get it. I know that. I  _know_ , but… " he repeated over and over again, until his head started hurting and he pressed his palm against his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut. "Damn it."

Every action of his spoke of hurt to Sakura. She couldn't understand why would he be feeling like that. He would not loose his best friend. Family was one thing. Friends another. He would not loose one for the other. Unless… Her eyes widened when a sudden thought occurred to her.

She knew…

Oh, Naruto.

But she couldn't help him with that. He had to find the answer on this on his own. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she quickly brushed her tears aside and put a comforting hand onto his shoulder.

I believe in you, Naruto!

* * *

Now knowing the whole situation, Sakura wished she somehow had  _forgotten_  to tell Naruto about the celebration in the evening. She was not sure what to expect from Naruto anymore. It was worse that the blonde himself was not sure what to expect of himself either.

The celebration was held outside, in the yard of the traditional house Hoshino Mika was temporaly staying at. What Naruto was still  _not aware of_ , and Sakura would do anything in her power to keep it being like that, was that Gaara moved in to the house near her. Pole-kun was nothing but a butler of Hoshino and despite Kakashi's assurances to provide proper security for her stay, Gaara felt the responsibility to take care of Mika himself. Well, that might have been slightly provoked by a silent plea from the lady herself. But that remains unknown…

Even if today was held for Hoshino, the party soon got a hold of itself and everyone were simply enjoying themselves. Somewhere Temari and Shikamaru could be seen together. They seemed to have gotten closer in the days Temari stayed here. Sakura was glad for it. And even if she missed Sasuke, she decided long ago to wait for him. So she kept her mood up.

She glanced to the loud group to her left. The elders got drunk way too fast. Even before the 'soon-to-be-engaged' pair performed an official tea-drinking-ritual for them.

The only person seeming out of place was Naruto.

He came slightly late, and then he only exchanged a quick greeting with Gaara and Mika before situating himself in the darkest corner against a nearby sakura tree.

At one point a bunch of girls tried to make Naruto dance with them but Sakura quickly came to his rescue, proudly announcing that she was keeping Naruto all to herself. The girls quickly left from sheer fear to go against the legendary sanin's disciple.

So for a while things went well..

Until the tea-ceremony-ritual.

Everyone quieted down to give respect for the pair that bowed lowly to each other in greeting.

In the candlelight's glow it was clear that the girl's eyes were shinning with adoration. Although the same couldn't be said about Gaara, it was hard to tell with him. He was not the most expressive person after all.

The Kazekage was the first to serve the cup, his rank being the higher one among the two. He reached out towards the pot and gently picked it up. With great precision and skill he poured the hot liquid down the cup, settling the pot next to it.

Naruto swallowed harshly. He could remember all the lessons the two had together. He knew each step by heart now. He failed more times than he could count but he did it in the end.

_At that moment it seemed like a sacred thing between the two._

Slowly Gaara passed the cup to the feminine hands and seemed to freeze for a moment there. Just then, for a split of a second, a fond smile reached his features. It was gone just like that.

When Hoshino settled her fingers around the cup, the pads of her digits brushed slightly against the pale male ones. Her face flushed in slight embarrassment but Gaara only gave her a small smile in return, putting her at ease.

The grip of the cup Naruto was holding onto, intensified ten fold, as he watched from the sidelines.

The scene was making his insides churn. His eyes were intensely focused on the sole person in the area, yet he failed to notice the dangerous look he was giving away.

After Hoshino repeated the whole ritual to Gaara, Naruto thought he would be sick. He stayed only enough to watch the official part and then quickly left the area.

If Sakura saw him leaving, she decided to let him have his space.

* * *

It suddenly started to pour.

It was a clear evening just until recently and then suddenly the whole sky opened up.

A sudden relief filled his insides when he realized that there was no way the party could be going on in this weather.

He also felt sick for having such thoughts.

He was turning into a horrible friend.

Gaara was so precious to him… and he couldn't even wish him happiness.

_What was wrong with him?_

As the water droplets kept going down he wished they would wash away his guilt and nasty thoughts.

It was soon starting to get chilly but he felt content in just walking randomly in the rain.

Unconsciously his feet led him to Gaara's quarters, but the lights were off.  _Did he sleep yet?_

A young boy, one of the staff, ran past him in a hurry and Naruto made it just in time to stop him. "Hey! Um… I was just wondering… Is Gaara asleep yet?"

"Eh?" the boy seemed lost for a moment but then realized who the blonde was and who could he be addressing, he quickly bowed. "The Kazekage changed his bedchambers, Naruto-sama."

"Changed?"

"Hai. He's now residing in the building next to the Hoshino-san's."

Naruto didn't ask more.

If anything he  _flew_  towards the wet and slippery rooftops, back towards the yard he was so desperate to get away from just before.

The heavy rain nearly made him slip a few times and he had to focus more of his chakra onto his feet to keep balance.

When he finally saw the traditional house, he landed somewhere near the sakura tree he was sitting through the whole celebration.

Lighting filled up the sky, illuminating the two figures standing before each other, slightly damp from the rain. They were hiding under the building's roof in the terrace. Apparently their buildings were not so separate after all. From what could he tell, they were joined at one side, just probably didn't have the same exit as the other.

The pair stood rather close to each other. The female's hands came up to hug herself as she shivered. From instinct the male raised his hand in the air, seemingly intending to… but he stopped, letting his hand fall down to his side.

The pair of violets (because he knew what colour they were) looked up at the pair of teals, Naruto was so accustomed to seeing. Naruto might have not been the brightest in lip-reading but he would never miss out on 'Gaara's' name that came from her mouth, accompanied by a pleading look.

In the next moment, she either done it deliberately or accidently, but Hoshino Mika fell against Gaara's chest, clutching the fabric of his wet clothes.

When the two finally separated towards their own chambers, the water still kept rolling down Naruto's cheeks.

* * *

Just coming out of the bath, the redhead padded through the tatami floor, leaving a shallow wet path by the water droplets that still clung to his bare skin.

It was already deep pitch black outside and he didn't feel like staying up with the documents tonight so he was caught by surprise when someone banged onto the wood of his doors from the outside.

He glanced up and saw the figure lurking about, standing way to close for his comfort.

"Who is it?" he called out but he felt like he knew the answer before it came.

"It's me." Yep, he didn't know anybody else who could be bold enough to barge into the Kazekage's bedchambers in the middle of the night and feel justified by it.

With a sigh, Gaara went over towards the door, stopping just a short distance away from them. He looked down at his attire and frowned. Not the best to have been caught in, but it was not like anybody else would even have a chance of seeing him like that, and Naruto… well, he already had seen him like that anyway.

He pushed the slight embarrassment away and slid the doors open.

The sight before him made him widen his dark-ringed eyes.

Naruto's spiky blonde hair was now clinging to his face, a waterfall of water running down his features. His orange suit was soaked through and he appeared to be shivering.

"How long were you standing in the rain?" he asked in a worried voice. He always felt protective of his friend and seeing him drenched and shivering made him uneasy.

For a second, something pained ran past the blond's face, making a crease into his forehead. His already-turning-blue lips trembled and he only answered as he bit on the lower one. "…I don't know."

From the state the blonde was in, it seemed it had been…  _a while_. Gaara frowned at the thought, but decided not to push the blond and just stepped futher away into the room to let Naruto pass.

"Come inside."

Slowly Naruto's head was lifted, staring straight ahead at the redhead. He either didn't hear him or unfocused to something else because he just continued to stand there, watching something that Gaara couldn't see.

_The white under robe…_

_Water droplets running down his bare skin…_

_His_ bare _skin…_

The soft glow of the light illuminating the room and Gaara's body, giving a gentle look to it.

_Gentle and precious._

Something broke in Naruto's heart at that moment. His insides quickly being filled with a nasty feeling he was beginning to get accustomed to.

Opening the doors like that in the middle of the night… was it all right for everyone to see the great Kazekage like that? Or was it only reserved to his _special_  people? Well, he was not the  _only one_  anymore, was he?

He clenched his teeth as fire burnt into his eyes and taking the redhead by surprise, stormed inside the room.

The moment the paper doors slid shut, the redhead found himself slammed right into the said doors. He could barely register the feral gaze of his friend when in seconds his mouth was covered in a searing kiss.

"Mmph!"

Rough, demanding, _desperate_  lips were claiming his like none ever had.

Gaara's mind went blank as he could only submit himself to the overwhelming sensations the blonde was eliciting in his body before he lost his mind completely.

Naruto's lips against his own.

It was a totally different feeling from the brief brushing sensation against his lips back in the forest. This time it was  _purposeful_. Every nip leaving tingles in its wake.

Strong hands cupped his heated cheeks, holding on as the eager mouth darted its tongue to lick sensually at the redhead's lips. Gaara could only shudder as he felt his body open up to the other boy without any resistance.

A strangled moan escaped from deep inside Gaara at the feel of the blonde's tongue against his own. He pushed himself more firmly against the paper doors, instinctively trying to escape the foreign feeling. That is, if he could. Naruto followed his movement, trapping the redhead with no escape. If anything, it seemed to spur Naruto into action even more.

He took charge with new intensity. One hand left the redhead's cheek, the other came on the back of his head, tilting it for a better access.

Gaara could barely take it.

Everything was  _new_. The foreign tingling feeling on his lips.

Everything was  _hot_. The shared air as their mouths mixed together.

Every cell in his body was burning. His skin already so sensitive to a mere touch now was on fire.

Every touch feeling like an electroshock right through his body.

He could barely restrain the periodical whines and moans escaping his mouth, much less being able to control his hitched breathing.

His heart was thudding loudly in his rib-cage and he just couldn't think clearly anymore. Grasping blindly at the body against him, he brought his fingers in the wet yellow locks(the fair locks he always felt himself drawn to) and yanked Naruto closer, pressing their mouths impossibly close.

 _More_.

All he could think about was  _I want more of him._

His chest was burning, something scratching at it sharply from within. It took him a moment longer to realize that they needed to break apart in order for him to breathe.

Naruto seemed to realize it just in time as his mouth left the redhead's, gaining a pitiful whimper in return.

Before he could even realize what was happening, a wet heat latched itself on his pale neck, sending heat and tremors down his entire body.

_Ah. So this is how it feels like._

Strong hands wrapped themselves tightly around the pale body, keeping him impossibly close. Digging his toned fingers into his white flesh. He shuddered for the hundredth time that night, or just never stopped since the moment Naruto claimed his mouth as his.

His head was titled back, exposing his neck to the mercy of the beast that was Naruto right now. He couldn't care less.  _He wanted him_. And each nip on his skin intensified the feeling more and more.

It was a strange sense of a total surrender. He didn't need to think or say anything. In that moment he could only  _feel_.

One hand sneaked sensually down Gaara's back, fistting the fabric of the satin clothes, that were covering his lover's body. It traveled down south until he could palm the right bottom cheek with his hand. With one strong squeeze, Naruto pushed the body roughly towards him, the redhead's middle coming in contact with his thigh.

A thundering sensation ran right through Gaara's body at the contact. His eyes flew open wide with a sharp gasp coming out of his mouth.

"Ah!"

The intensity of the sensation, worked like a trigger for him. He finally understood just  _where_  these irresponsible actions could lead them to.

"Nnn… Naruto, w-wait…." Gaara panted out while uselessly trying to push Naruto to the side. It didn't do much good, though.

It seemed like all the strength had left his body.

"Hah."

His harsh breathing filled the otherwise silent room, occasionally being joined by the blonde's grunts as he kept holding onto the redhead like his life depended on him. "N-naru…to…" His attempts at gaining the blonde's attention went unnoticed yet again and the purposeful brush against his groin left them to where the two had started. Gaara completely at Naruto's mercy.

"Nnmm…" He tried to stiffle the sounds he was making by clenching his teeth, but everything was too overwhelming and he was too inexperienced in this to have any control over his natural body reactions.

He tossed his head to the side at one more brutal nip onto his pulse point, which was soon followed by a deep sucking sensation. Slowly the pink tongue traveled its path upwards, stopping to nip at the redhead's earlobe before whispering hotly into his ear.

"I'm not giving you away to that woman."

It all changed suddenly. Gaara opened his eyes wide as a sense of fear slowly started to form in the pit of his stomach.

His heartbeat started to change its rhythm, moving from heated adrenaline to a flight one. It was all it took for a harsh rush of sand to make a wall between the bodies, separating the two.

"Woah!"

Caught completely unprepared, Naruto stumbled a little backwards from the sheer impact. His body suddenly felt a chill as he was left standing with empty arms. He blinked a few times to put his vision back into focus.

His breathing came in short gasps of air and when he looked up, he could see the other boy was having the same difficultly gaining his breathing back to normal.

"G-Gaara…" he breathed out.

The redhead stood still. His eyes closed shut as if calming himself from deep within. His flushed skin stood in contrast against his usual paleness.

Naruto gulped tightly. Now watching the situation with more clearance in his eyes, he was starting to feel a bit scared. He was not sure what possessed him, but he didn't plan to make a move on his friend like that. It was like the moment he saw Gaara bathed in the soft glow of the candlelight glow, he just couldn't handle the thought of someone else seeing him like that.

He got possessed by pure instinct. And he acted on it.

Now Gaara was standing a few meters away from him, not even looking at him!

_What the hell had he done?_

Even standing from this distance he could clearly see the redhead's bruised skin. Which Naruto was the cause of. His otherwise pale skin was covered in marks, left by Naruto's mouth.

_He gave Gaara a hickey! And not even one!_

He was debating between feeling smug and completely hysterical.

He gulped once, twice before taking a step further. "Gaara… this…."

"Not giving me to her…" Gaara's deep voice stopped Naruto from advancing further.

"H-huh?"

Naruto was seriously starting to get nervous. Without him noticing, Gaara completely got his composure back in place and now his face was showing anything but 'happy emotions'.

" _That Woman_ , as you so eloquently put in, is the Kazekage's fiance," he finally said, showing a clear displeasure in his features. His voice had a hint of disappointment and sadness in it, making Naruto feel even more uncomfortable with himself.

Ah! That's right. In the spur of a moment, the blonde  _did_  say something like that.

_"I'm not giving you away to that woman."_

Geh.

"I don't know what you thought you would accomplish," Gaara continued. "But doing this kind of thing just to prevent me from marrying Mika-san is unforgivable."

Even if he was being asked… he didn't know. It was probably right, though. Despite his efforts, he hated the thought of Gaara marrying Hoshino Mika. To the point where he was starting to grow a certain amount of dislike to the woman herself. To someone completely innocent in all this. He was feeling something he never had felt before.

His heart was beating crazily inside his chest, he couldn't push away the fear of saying the wrong thing and making a bigger bridge between the two.

But hadn't he already done enough?

He swallowed the lump in his throat and let out a husky voice. "Gaara… I…"

"I'll have to ask you to leave," he said in a simple, cold tone of his.

Naruto froze.

Gaara brushed his damp hair from his forehead, closing his eyes with a sigh. He seemed simply tired, his whole posture sagged. Nothing like the fire he had expressed just few minutes prior.

And Naruto knew that he was the cause of all this disappointment.

"Both as the Kazekage and your friend… I do not wish to see you right now."

Naruto felt his fingers clench into a whitening fist as he forced himself to stay put. He couldn't even give an excuse. "…I'm sorry…"

A curt nod was all the response given to Naruto's apology. "You're an important person in my life, Naruto," the redhead admitted, making Naruto shift his head towards him. There was a moment where something of deep sadness passed down the redhead's features and it took everything in his power for Naruto to not go rushing to his side and embrace him. He felt like he had already done enough and that his company was not welcome anymore, though. So he didn't.

"For the sake of our friendship I hope you refrain from doing something like that again," Gaara ended with a sigh and there was nothing much else Naruto could say to that.

"I understand."

* * *

_**to be continued...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -awaiting your sentence-


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to put a bit of action in this story. It somehow become an important part of the story. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading!

**#6**

His hand…

Why was it trembling?

He was left alone in his dimly lit room yet his pale hand didn't stop trembling since the moment the blonde left.

Naruto.

His mouth. His hands. His breath.

Why did those things made him tremble?

Was it because of that sensation of  _love_  he had for the blond?

Love…

What is that feeling anyway?

What is that feeling everyone spoke about?

The painful clenching in his chest… was it caused by it?

Yashamaru was the first person to teach Gaara about love…

 _"_ _People hurt others and others hurt them… That's how they learn to survive. But it's not that easy for one person to hate another."_

 _"_ _It's not bleeding but… it really hurts right around here."_

 _"_ _That is a wound of the heart. It's a troublesome wound that only a love from another can cure..."_

 _"_ _Love is a feeling that desires to serve a precious person who is close to oneself, to love and watch over that person…"_

Oh… so it was because he didn't receive love in return. Feeling it all on your own wasn't enough.

Naruto was an existence needed by many.

He understood it long ago that he would follow Naruto's path, same way as many others did who had the privilege of meeting the blond.

He never expected to become an existence more needed than others.

Still, being his important friend made the redhead happy.

That's why…

When the blonde suddenly kissed him, he was way too overwhelmed to notice it at first. Being kissed by the one you love was a happy feeling after all…

When he finally realized what happened, it was already too late. They had both crossed the line that shouldn't have been crossed.

At least not like that…

Naruto.

He thought a kiss between two people was an expression of love yet he was kissed out of anger. Anger towards his fiance.

Hoshino Mika.

Til to this day, the redhead could not understand the reason behind Naruto's obvious animosity towards the young woman. She was Gaara's fiance. Marrying her was the choice he made of his own but following up to that promise was his duty as Kazekage. They may not hold too deep affection for one another now, but he believed they could both learn to respect and care for each other in time.

He held onto hope that the blonde would somehow come to accept his choice but that only backfired on him.

In the end, the love that was supposed to be healing, turned into a weapon against him…

…If love was supposed to heal the wound of the heart, then what was the remedy for being hurt by love?

* * *

It was a few days after that rainy day.

Just as he wanted, the blonde didn't talk with him once. That didn't mean that they didn't see each other. But it might have been better if they didn't rather than the polite nods of acknowledgement they both shared now. It felt like they were back in that dark period of their relationship that they just finally were able to get out of.

Something was rapidly changing in their relationship and neither knew how to stop it.

The crease in his forehead would occasionally deepen with his thoughts.

The tea cup in the redhead's hands was warm to the touch, it would probably even burn his fingers slightly if not for his sand armor. But nothing could burn as scorching as his whole body that night.

The tingling sensation of his lips. The heated air. The pressure of the embrace. The tremors which his body could not yet fully get rid of. Day and night he was living in that moment, unable to escape.

He tried to shake it off by spending more time with Hoshino Mika but he felt like he betrayed her more than done them good by feeling this way.

Even now, as he was having a tea ceremony with the lady, they barely exchanged any words, just staying in each other's presence.

He didn't know how he should deal with this…

"Do you have any plans after lunch today?"

The sudden question shook him out of his thoughts. He blinked into focus and shifted his gaze to the young woman that was looking at him with gentle eyes and a small smile on her face. He rearranged his features and gave her a reassuring look.

"No. I am free. Would you like to go somewhere together?"

She immediately blushed and averted her gaze from his, but held her posture straight. "I was wondering if you'd like to go sakura-sighting," she said in unsure voice.

From what Gaara could tell, she was not a very shy person from nature, but somewhere along the way, she would show that expression to him from time to time. He wondered if he somehow scared her… he didn't mean to appear unapproachable, but he had little to no experience in how to treat a woman with interest of marriage.

He guessed, he would learn.

"Of course, that's no problem," he replied in what he hoped was a reassuring way enough and the smile he got in return put him at ease.

"Would you like another cup?" he offered when he saw hers already empty.

"Yes, please."

He reached out for the pot and elegantly started pouring the hot liquid. That was the only sound that could be heard in their otherwise silent room. Nobody really disturbed him this early in the morning. Only the voices of the staff that was given to tend to his needs could be faintly heard from outside.

 _"…_ _are you serious?... no way! How did it happen?..."_

He passed the cup gently to Hoshino and started to pour himself another one.

 _"…_ _.but isn't he like really strong? How did he get hurt?"_

 _"_ _I'm telling I don't know, Kaori-san found him when she was out picking the herbs in the woods."_

The redhead paused his cup mid-air, wondering if someone from his staff had gotten hurt.

 _"…_ _..but to think the hero of the war would be knocked out that easily….it just proves that nobody is invincible, I guess…..not even Uzumaki Naruto…."_

Having finished her first cup, Mika took a small sip of her second. "This is really delicious," she said with a content smile on her face. She liked spending time with Gaara-sama and she wished he would gradually come to open up to her. When she heard no reply from him, she glanced up.

The Kazekage's cup was still frozen mid-air and when she looked up to his eyes she saw that his were widened, emitting a what she could only recognize as a deeply concerned look. "…Gaara…sama?" she tried faintly. Her words seemed to put him out of trance as he quickly stood up and slammed the sliding doors open, making her flinch a bit.

"Wait," he spoke to someone outside his room.

The two young boys startled at the sudden voice coming from somewhere behind their backs. "Eek! Ah. Gaara-sama!" They both quickly bowed in greeting, glancing nervously at each other. "Would you like something for us to get you, Gaara-sama?"

"What were you saying just now?" the redhead's deep voice made them look up at the teal orbs that were boring into them.

"Eh? We were just talking about the bandits that injured Naruto-sama."

The crease in the redhead's forehead deepened. "Bandits?" There was no way any ordinary bandits could even hope to injure Naruto. "Who were they?"

"We don't know… It seems they got away, leaving him unconscious behind."

The dark ringed eyes narrowed. "What?" The bandits that got away?

"We apologize. We really don't know anything." The two staff members bowed lowly, thinking that they somehow had upset the Kazekage. From the look he was giving them, they would definitely be loosing their jobs! So it came as a surprise when instead of the words of permanent dismissal, they got an order.

"Take me to him."

They guessed it was only natural to be concerned about their friend after hearing of them being hurt. After all, even they knew that Suna's Kazekage and Konoha's hero Uzumaki Naruto were long time friends. "Ah, hai! Please come with us!"

"Gaara-sama?" a small, feminine voice echoed from the Kazekage's room.

She couldn't help the nagging feeling she had as she witnessed the redhead's actions. And when he slowly turned around, she knew she was right.

"I apologize, Mika-san. I must cut our meeting short. I promise to make it up to you next time," he said in a solemn voice. Even if he had his features almost concealed back to normal, she couldn't put the image of his face, as he opened the doors, out of her mind.

It was the first time she saw such an expression on the young Kazekage's face, yet it somehow felt familiar. It fit together with all the other expressions he had that were reserved only when the redhead talked about his first friend.

Raw, unguarded and honest.

Her right hand started to tremble and she quickly covered it with her left, holding onto it tightly. "…I understand. Please, go ahead," she said with a smile on her face.

She really didn't want him to go.

"Thank you," he said softly and turned his back to her. The serene look on his face nearly broke her heart. "Let's go."

* * *

The pounding of his heart would not stop as he flew above the thick forest of Konoha.

His staff was but mere civilians assigned to do the chore jobs, they could only run so fast, so before long the redhead had them all arranged a sand platform each. "Lead the way."

It took them thirty minutes when they finally reached the place. He could understand their reasons for not wanting to expose Naruto to the hospital. Too many eyes were never good, especially when the possible threat managed to get to the strongest shinobi in Konoha.

He landed just outside the abandoned shrine, sparing only a glance to dismiss the staff and thank them for their assistance.

He placed his hands towards the wooden entrance when a wail echoed through the paper doors.  _"Ouch ouch ouch. It huuurts. Be a bit more gentle, Sakura-chan. You don't act like a girl at all."_

Some harsh bang could be heard then.

 _"…_ _ouch!"_

Having heard his voice, put the redhead at ease. At least he didn't appear to be severely injured. With a calmer mind he finally could open the paper doors.

"Stop…squirming around… you, baka!" Sakura appeared to have a bit of a difficultly in taming the blonde, who was huffing in a sitting position on the floor.

There was a white bandage on his bare left shoulder and his complexion seemed a little bit paler than usual but otherwise he looked fine.

In a moment, the blonde seemed to notice another presence in the room and lifted his eyes towards the redhead only to widen them. "Gaara?" He blinked a few times, like not believing who he was seeing. "What're you doing here?"

The Kazekage regarded him with a sigh. "I heard that you got hurt."

"Ah, this? I got a bit careless, it's nothing serious, really. Sorry to make you worry. Ehehe." He laughed shepishly and lifted his left hand to brush against the back of his head. At once his face turned into a grimace when a sharp pang of pain went right through his limb. "…ouch!"

"Geez, that's why I said to stay still," Sakura grumbled in exasperation.

Gaara took that moment to walk further into the room, his expression portraying deep concern. "That kind of wound… it should have already healed by now. With kyuubi's regenerating chakra and all. What is  _really_  going on?" He settled his gaze on the pink haired kunoichi since he doubted he would get the truth from Naruto.

True to his word, he was first to protest. "Like I said, it's nothing to worry-" he didn't finish that sentence when Sakura got him with her karate chop, making Naruto lay twitching on the floor. She released a deep breath.

"What happened?" Gaara asked, now definitely sure that something was wrong.

"Nobody's really sure," Sakura started. "But what I can tell is that they were definitely no ordinary bandits, if they were bandits at all."

The redhead's eyes narrowed at her admission. "What do you mean?"

"When they brought Naruto, he only had one wound on his shoulder. Yet he was deeply unconscious. I guessed only one thing could have this effect." When she glanced at the redhead, his face had a troubled look.

"Poison."

She nodded. "Yes. I extracted it all and it doesn't seem to be spreading anywhere anymore, but what's troubling me is that the wound seems to be healing very slowly." She glanced at the blond who seemed to have finally settled down. Gaara took notice of his solemn expression before shifting his gaze back to Sakura.

"It's as you said. With Naruto's kyuubi's chakra he should have healed long ago."

"How much has his healing slowed down?"

"I'd say it's reduced to the average human's healing speed." The dark-ringed eyes widened at her words. "That's why…" she began, but then she was cut off.

"That's why there's no need to make such a  _big deal_  out of it," the blonde said pointedly. "I'm still healing, even if slower. Maybe the poison had effect on me but it doesn't mean we have to put everyone on high alert at once!" he argued.

Ah. Gaara understood Naruto's concerns. The village was just getting back on its feet. To become the object of concern for his village yet again was something the blonde never wanted.

He regarded him steadily before addressing him. "Maybe not. But we should still be careful just in case."

"I got it," the blonde grumbled under his breath.

Gaara only nodded, even if the blonde didn't see it. "I'll let Hokage know. Sakura. I'll leave him in your care."

"Leave it to me." She smiled at him with confidence.

"Tch," Naruto only mumbled, sulking with his hands crossed.

The redhead closed his eyes and left the room.

* * *

They decided to not alert anyone except a few trusted high ranked shinobi to keep extra watch on Naruto.

At least that's what the blonde heard.

Not trusting Kakashi-sensei to not go overboard (especially when Gaara was involved in it too), he was now constantly on alert, checking various kinds of chakra signatures. Only when he felt confident enough that only a few shinobi were assigned to his watch, did he let himself relax more.

Honestly, he didn't need an army watching over him when he had an army himself. His own kage bunchin were now on a look out through the village. There was no way anyone could come past his defenses.

His eyebrows furrowed in thought when he remembered the sudden ambush in the woods.

Actually the reason he got wounded at all was because he underestimated the plain arrows.

He knew from experience that arrows or any kind of blunt weapons would be deflected by his now automatic Kurama's chakra. That's why when the arrow not only did it not get deflected but somehow neutralized kyuubi's chakra cloak and finally struck him, it took him by surprise.

He didn't tell that part to Sakura-chan (and especially not to Gaara), but that was because he was not sure if it was the arrow's fault or his himself. He was more distracted than ever these days, to the point that Kurama was threatening him to go on a vacation, leaving him behind.

Well… if they appeared again, he would know.

"Nnn!" He stretched his arms high above his head, afterwards leaving them crossed behind his head.

He still couldn't believe that he somehow got to be in a normal conversation with Gaara after all the days of awkard nodding and avoidance.

Gaara.

That day still held a dull ache in his heart. The look on his friend's face when he was asked to leave.

It hurt.

He glanced at the passing clouds in the sky. They reminded him of the passing time. The time that once gone could never be taken back.

It troubled Naruto to no end.

He hated being at odds with the redhead. And even more so when he was the reason for it. But maybe he wasn't as hated as he thought…?

Gaara came to see him after all.

Well of course he would come to see him. He reasoned. His friend was hurt so of course it was natural to check up on him.

Natural. If it was natural to see him when he's hurt, then shouldn't it be natural to talk with him too?

He wished to see the redhead.

"Hmmm….." His eyebrows twitched. "Argh! I can't take it anymore!" he yelled out towards the sky.

The least he could do was return the gesture. If he would get chased out, then so be it.

For now, he would go for a visit.

* * *

He was a nervous wreck when he reached the doors of the Kazekage's quarters.

He was experiencing a serious case of déjà vu…

Images of rain, unexpected kisses and harsh rejection nearly made him bolt but he shook his head free of them.

He would take small steps at a time.

Tooth for tooth.

Conversation for conversation.

That was his strategy for now.

He slowly reached out towards the wood and knocked on it.

Nothing happened.

He tried again. This time a bit louder.

Still nothing.

With a frown he concentrated on the surrounding chakra signatures and quickly recognized Gaara's coming out of the room.

He nearly hung his head.

Was he ignored after all?

No. No. He would not give up yet. Slapping his cheeks, he prepared himself and just let himself in the room.

His eyes widened at the image.

No wonder Gaara didn't answer. He seemed to be way too engrossed in what Naruto understood to be… drawing. Yep, definitely drawing.

There were a few drafts on the floor and glancing at the fallen paper, the blonde noticed the Hokage Rock drawn to precise detail.

It was a surprise to know that Gaara drew at all, it was another altogether to know that he was actually good at it.

Very good.

Even from the distance, he could see the accuracy in the drawing. He was just beginning to bend down to pick the fallen paper when he sensed eyes upon him.

He glanced up and was met with a pair of slightly widened teal orbs.

Naruto only smiled sheepishly at him. "I knocked, but you didn't hear me."

When the redhead said nothing, Naruto straightened up, scratching his cheek. "Normally if someone came to visit you, you would give them a visit in return…. But you know that I'm not really good at this stuff, so… I don't know… I just came."

He glanced from side to side when he finally looked up at the redhead who now was watching him with a calm expression.

A sudden movement from his side took his attention. He noticed how sand particles gathered around each sheet of paper, covering them and bringing them towards the faraway corner where the blonde could see more sheets of white paper nestled together.

He knit his brows. "Say, Gaara…why didn't you tell me you could draw?"

The redhead directed his gaze downwards, somehow appearing to be uncomfortable with the question. "Drawing is something personal of mine. I don't let other people see my work," he said in a deep voice before standing up and walking towards the tea pot that was on the shelf.

_Liar._

Naruto's body went rigid as he felt that nasty feeling rising up in him again. "Yeh," he agreed with edginess in his voice. "Yet you could show it to  _her_."

He saw the redhead's back stiffen. "That was an accident. Mika-san was never meant to see the drawings."

It was no good.

He couldn't do it after all. Just when he thought he managed to finally talk normally with him…

Don't ask.

Don't ask.

DON'T ask.

"Did you use your sand to make an effort to hide them from her too?"

He shouldn't have asked… the silence was good enough for an answer.

He sighed, feeling too tired to get into this. "Thought so. Well, I'll leave you to it. Sorry to bother you."

He left, leaving Gaara standing with a cup tightly clenched in his grip.

* * *

**5 weeks ago**

He never meant to show them to anyone.

It was a little over a week since he learned about his upcoming arranged marriage dates. There was yet a word to be heard from Temari regarding the issue but Gaara was sure that it would soon come out in the open.

He sighed. Walking back from the meting with his council through the vast corridors towards his room, he only wished to get there quicker and get back to his drawing that he had left still unfinished.

When he finally reached the doors to his room, to say he was shocked was one thing, but he simply froze on the spot.

He never meant to show them to anyone.

There, besides his table that was covered in his drawings, sat a refined young lady. Her petite hands held one of his most recent works.

She didn't appear to be a shinobi so that only left to one possible explanation as to who could she be.

He never meant to show them to anyone. And now someone completely a stranger to him saw the deepest parts of him.

He felt way too exposed. The sand in his mini-gourd was swirling in circles, ready to lash out any moment. He had to take a deep breath to calm himself from the shock.

"They're personal."

The girl jumped from suddenly hearing his deep voice. She glanced at the redhead who was standing at the entrance with his hands crossed against his chest. She put the drawing she had in her hand on the table at once. "Oh, I apologize. I didn't mean to invade your privacy. I'm Hoshino Mika. Temari-san told me I should wait for Gaara-sama here and then I saw all these drawings scattered around the room… " she glanced at other end of the table towards the big pile of sheets of paper but then quickly averted her gaze.

Of course Temari would be the one to let her in. He was too naïve, thinking that nobody would ever dare to come into his room without his permission.

He never meant to show them to anyone.

It was not because he was ashamed of what he drew, but his drawings were personal.

Nobody saw them. Not even Temari. Maybe that's why she thought it was a good idea to present his arranged marriage's candidate to him in his own very room.

He sometimes really couldn't understand his sister's logic…

Through the years he drew many different faces, even more different places but there was a constant one person in his drawings, taking up most of his collection.

That was the most personal thing about his drawings. It was not something he just casually shared with anyone.

Well, now it was already too late for that.

"You seem to be drawing a lot… this person," Mika said as she settled her feminine hands onto one of the drawings. It was a clear portrait. "Who is he?"

"My first friend."

She smiled slightly at his admission. "He must be very important to you."

"He is."

And that was how generally their first meeting went. From then on, they spend more and more time together. Temari helped in arranging the meetings of course.

At first it was very strange to have her in his personal space but little by little he came to learn to have her presence near him. It helped that she was a kind and refined lady. She didn't pressure him in giving information, but she also held that undeniable curiosity in her. It made the Kazekage slip more times than he counted.

He mostly talked about his friend.

When it was time to decide if he wanted to continue seeing her, she came to see him in the evening, asking to share a cup of tea with her. And when she tentatively asked him of one of his drawings he refused her, embarrassing her in the process, but agreed to draw her a new drawing, something personal to her.

The day he presented her the drawing, was the day both families formally agreed to go ahead with the plans of marriage.

Thinking about it now, everything started with his drawings.

It was also probably the reason he agreed to marry her. She was the only one to have been exposed to his inner world and he didn't have the will or strength to share it with one more person. Since she already saw everything, it was as good an argument as any to marry her.

The redhead clenched the white sheet of paper in his hand.

The blonde hair, azure blue eyes and clear whiskers with a beaming face spoke of times when seeing a beaming smile on his friend's face was still as natural sight as breathing.

…Could he make his drawings come to life?

* * *

He failed again.

Naruto hung his head.

He couldn't believe that he just lost his composure YET again!

"ARGH! WHY!?" he harshly pulled on his hair. He knew he was not the brightest crayon in the box, but couldn't he just keep his mouth shut!

He sighed, all energy leaving his body.

The thing with Gaara was just way too weird.

He couldn't understand why he was acting like a lunatic nor why was he randomly kissing his friend.

You just don't kiss your male friends.

That's right. MALE.

Argh! Just imagining his very first kiss made his stomach churn. Sasuke! That bastard.

But then why Gaara? Was he reading himself wrong? Did he… somehow turn gay before he realized it?

NO WAY!

It hasn't been that long since he was worshiping the ground that Sakura-chan walked on. He couldn't be…  _gay._

But then what was his deal with Gaara…

"Argh! If only I could check!"

As he was walking through the streets of Konoha, something fleeting prickled his senses.

He concentrated on that feeling and finally realized what that was. "Ah!" he turned around, his hand quickly going into his pocket to retrieve a kunai.

The two weapons clashed with a clang.

"Hn. Better, but you're still out of it," the raven haired boy said and sheathed his katana.

Naruto smiled at his friend, despite his arrogant attitude. "Sasuke. I thought you went back on your mission."

"I was. But then I got some more orders from Kakashi."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Say, Sasuke… you're not doing anything to be concerned about, are you?"

"Hn."

"Sasuke! You-!"

"Stop concerning yourself with my business, dobe. I'm doing what I got to do to rediscover the path I want to walk on from now on. If you think I'm doing anything shady, blame Kakashi. He got all kind of weird mission up his sleeves."

"Hmm…" Naruto hummed in thought. Well, he guessed, as long as Kakashi-sensei supervised his missions, he shouldn't be in any trouble.

He hoped.

Sasuke.

His raven hair fluttered in the wind. Naruto blinked in thought.

"Ah," he exclaimed when he remembered his dilemma.

The suspicious glance he gained from the other boy, didn't discourage Naruto in the least. It was one in a lifetime chance after all! "Sasuke."

"Hn?"

"Do me a favor and… don't move for a bit, okay?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the sheepish look the blonde was giving him.

"What're you planning, dobe? I'll dodge if you try to punch me."

"I won't!" Naruto exclaimed in exasperation. "Geez, would just stay still for a moment? I promise I won't hit you." He regarded the raven haired boy with a serious look. Sasuke held their eyes contact for a moment longer and then dropped it.

"Hn."

"You're not moving, right?" Naruto asked as he started to inch by little steps towards him.

"Just get whatever it is over with," Sasuke said in dismissal. The feral grin he got in response should have been a clear sign as any to run for it.

But Uchihas didn't run.

Hence, he stayed still.

"Yosh. Here I come."

* * *

Sakura was just coming from her visit of her master, Tsunade, when she spotted the raven hair fluttering in the wind. Her heart fluttered in joy. He was back!

"Sa-!" she opened her mouth to call out for him, her one hand held high in a wave when she noticed a blonde head moving closer towards her Sasuke-kun. It took her a moment to realize that the said blond was Naruto and another to register that Naruto was leaning in towards Sasuke who stood patiently still.

Closer…closer… yet closer still…. until their lips met.

Her Sasuke-kun and Naruto were kissing.

…

!

Somewhere a ship sank with its captain inside Sakura's inner world. As she watched the scene in complete bafflement.

* * *

Naruto, on the other hand, was battling his own inner world. He had his eyes tightly shut and he could feel his eyebrows twitching in restlessness. If anything, the pressure against his mouth was stone cold and his own lips went numb with stiffness long ago.

One… two… three…

With a desperate cry he detached his mouth from the raven, feeling a harsh push on his chest as the said raven came back from his own shock.

Still, he had to be applauded. He managed to last the whole five seconds in a lip-lock with Sasuke of all people.

The two boys sputtered, wishing they could bleach their mouths to lose the disturbing taste in them.

"Wh-what the hell did you just do, usuratonkachi?!" Sasuke yelled out with eyes full of murderous intent.

"Bleh, it's no good after all." Naruto seemed to ignore him, too disturbed by his own sensations.

Just when Sasuke was ready to attack him with daggers coming out of his eyes, a battle yell echoed through the air.

"NARUTOOOOOOOOOO!"

The blonde turned around just in time to register pink hair fluttering widly in the wind as a ready punch connected with his nose, sending the blonde a mile away. He bounced several times until he finally landed with a grunt, sputtering, blood oozing out of his nose.

When he opened his eyes, he saw this generation's sanin cracking her bones while preparing another fist. An omnious aura surrounded her, her eyes glinting with murderous intent. "S-sakura-chan…"

"Naruto…" a booming voice echoed throughout the alley. "To think I actually worried about you…. "

"I can explain! I can explain! Sakura-chan." He looked over to his best friend in desperation but when their eyes met he only got a twitch of the said friend's eyes and a glare. "Sasuke, you bastard, not you too!"

"It's a misunderstanding, guys! Listen to me!"

Suddenly he was yanked by his collar, a fist ready to go straight into his face when he closed his eyes tightly shut and muttered in a hurry. "IjustwantedtocheckifIwasgay."

A gust of wind passed in the silence.

"Huh?" Sakura asked.

"Speak so we can understand you, dobe," Sasuke demanded from the sidelines.

Naruto sighed. "I said… I just wanted to check if I was um... well, gay."

There was a dead silence between the three.

He was then dropped to the ground and he stood up while wincing at the feel of his nose.

"I was having doubts for a while now and so I decided to get to the bottom of it. And then when I was wondering, Sasuke suddenly appeared and I saw it was a perfect opportunity. I figured if I would get attracted by the bastard, then I would know for sure. But don't worry, don't worry. I felt absolutely nothing besides disgust at our kiss, so it's fine."

"Fine my ass, usuratonkachi!"

"Naruto!"

"Geh. I know, I know, but no harm done, right? It's not like I suddenly got attracted to the bastard or anything!" he argued, but his two friends didn't seem to agree with his logic.

"That's not the point, Naruto! Geez, you always do stupid things like that," Sakura said from his one side.

"I don't care what your deal with Gaara is but don't get me involved in it," Sasuke said from another, making Naruto panic slightly.

"Eh? Wh-why do you think this has to do with Gaara?"

"Your struggle against your feelings for Gaara is a pathetic sight to watch."

Sakura flinched at the words. "Sasuke-kun, that's…"

That hit the nerve in the blond. "What did you say…!?" he growled at the raven. "Teme! Come here! I'll beat you up!" But before he could launch himself at Sasuke, he spoke again.

"I thought you swore to never run away again."

"I'm… not running away…." Naruto tried to argue, even if unconvincingly.

"Scaredy-cat." Sasuke shot point blank.

Naruto's blood was burning and he could feel himself shaking. "Teme!"

The two met in a heated glare, the blonde was panting heavily, the raven only watching him in disdain. Sasuke was the first to break eye-contact as he turned his back to him.

"If it's making you loose yourself, drop it, whatever it is," he said with his back facing the blond."Otherwise, start acting like yourself already." The dark look he got from Sasuke, made Naruto flinch slightly. "Remember what you said to us at the Zabuza and Haku's grave." Naruto widened his eyes at his friend's words but before he could say anything, Sasuke was already walking away. "Let's go, Sakura."

The blonde watched the two backs walking away, but he didn't have the will to stop them anymore.

That's right… after the battle in the country of Wave, at Zabuza and Haku's graves, he swore…

_"I'm going to follow my own 'way of ninja'. I'm going to run down straight the path where I'm not going to regret anything."_

"Bastard…" Naruto said to the empty spot and chuckled despite himself. "Thank you."

After all, to never go back on his word was his nindou way.

* * *

He landed with a gentle thud on the branch.

He followed his chakra signature until he came upon the clearing with sakura trees. He hid himself a good distance away, concealing his chakra too, to not be noticed.

Gaara.

A small pink petal was stuck in his auburn hair. Naruto wished to take it out.

He wished to be at his side.

But the one standing by his side was Hoshino Mika, who had a small branch of Sakura tree in her hand, laughing in delight.

Naruto clenched the fabric above his chest where his heart would be at. The dull pain he was feeling at the sight.

That's right.

He probably always knew, just never admitted it.

The pounding in his heart should have been a clear evidence as he realized a simple truth.

He was in love with his redhead friend.

* * *

Sakura waited patiently for the blonde idiot to come back. The whole ordeal with kissing Sasuke was still making her blood boil but talking it out with Sasuke they came to realization that there was no point in being mad at the baka idiot.

She shifted slightly when Naruto suddenly appeared by her side.

"I have decided," he said in a sure tone.

She only glanced questioningly towards the blonde.

"I'm going to pursue Gaara."

"Ehh!?"

She must have heard him wrong, because she could have sworn she just heard Naruto say that he-

"Sasuke was right," Naruto continued in a steady voice. No more had his voice held the insecurity he seemed to portrait all these days since the moment they all learned about the redhead's engagement plans.

"I was doing nothing but run away. I probably realized I had feelings for Gaara long ago but didn't want to admit to myself because it would complicate things too much. But… I can't go back on my nindou way after all."

"Naruto…"

He turned around and finally smiled at her his trademark smile.

"I'm going to do my best from now on, Sakura-chan. And I hope you'll support me."

Sakura could only watch him with a gentle smile of her own. Naruto… you finally did it.

"Naruto… are you really sure about this?"

"I haven't been more sure about anything in my life, except for wanting to become Hokage," he told her with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Naruto, you… of course, I'll support you, baka." She punched him slightly in the chest, feeling her tears pricking in the corners of her eyes.

No way was she crying now.

"Sankyuu, Sakura-chan! I knew I could count on you."

"Hai, hai," she dismissed him with her back to him. She had to stop her tears before they were noticed.  _She was just so relieved._

Luckily, Naruto seemed to be out in his own newly discovered determination to notice anything much around himself. After a while, she turned back around.

"But you know, Naruto… that means that you gonna have to stop the wedding," she said carefully, gauging his reaction.

One beat.

Two beats.

"Eh?" Three beats.

"Well I doubt Mika-san would want to share her husband with you.."

Four beats.

"Eek!" Click.

"That's right! I can't let him marry that woman!" he exclaimed, showing a clearly panicked expression on his face.

"You know, Naruto, that  _woman_  has a proper name…"

"What do I do, Sakura-chan!?" The blonde ignored her chiding and turned to face her. He waved his hands before him in desperation. "What do I do? I can't think of a strategy at all!"

A small smile crept on the pink haired girl's face. "Well for starters… why don't you talk with Gaara about it?"

"Talk?" He blinked. "About what?"

_Shannaro!_

Sakura hung her head, while her fist was whitening from the sheer pressure she expelled in it.

"Honestly… what would you do without me… " she sighed in resignation. "Naruto!"

At her commanding voice, Naruto straightened. "Hai!"

"Listen to me carefully, you hear me? You have to show your feelings properly for Gaara." She pointed towards his heart, one hand poised on her hip. "You may have accepted pursuing them but Gaara is still unaware of them. You have to make him understand your intentions."

"My intentions? Hmmm…" Naruto put his hands against his chest, nodding as a deep crease appeared on his forehead. He stayed like that for a while until something seemed to click and a beautiful beaming smile appeared on his face. "Yosh! Leave it to me!" He pumped his fist in determination. "I'll make sure that Gaara has no other choice but to accept me!"

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. "…t-that's not what I meant…."

Well… it was Naruto after all.

He didn't find trouble in showing his intentions to her.

It should be all right… no?

* * *

_**to be continued...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To explain my reasoning of Gaara's understanding of what happened between him and Naruto :
> 
> While Gaara is someone who now understands about bonds and friendship, even love, I highly doubt he's someone who would know the real reasons behind 'angry kissing', 'jealously' and 'having someone solely for yourself.'
> 
> He never experienced all that and could only possibly analyze it from what he could see. And unless you're a drama-lover(as me) you don't usually see angry kissing in the plain sight, jealously fit (maybe? but I doubt he'd understand the reason behind it) and in the war, Gaara said this :
> 
> 'Without any orders.. without a single word...everyone is galvanized into action.. Naruto.. and I'm one of them' 
> 
> hence, he could only understand 'the sharing' part. I believe. Of course, any of your thoughts are more than welcome! Let's discuss this thing together! Hehe.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your reviews truly help me! Thank you for your support~

**#7**

It was an early summer in Suna.

The Kazekage's home was buzzing with life.

The young Kankurou was playing with one of his puppet toys. He always seemed to carry them around, never separating from them. At one point he even tried to construct one himself, but, obviously he failed. Still, even after that, his interest wasn't dimmed.

Gaara heard of shinobi who could manipulate puppets. The one being Chiyo-obaasan. He wondered if his brother one day would pick on the art.

His other sibling, Temari, was the oldest among the two. Having already started the academy she was focusing on wind techniques. Their father was proud of her.

The young Gaara always looked at his older siblings with curiosity and a sense of adoration, although he wasn't one for big words. At least he knew he was loved and he loved them back.

"Father…" he called out to the older man, casually sitting on the couch.

"What is it, Gaara?" the expectant eyes bore in him, waiting.

"Could you show me a new jutsu, later today?" he asked.

A warm smile spread his father's features. "Of course." His hand reached out to ruffle at the auburn locks, making the redhead smile with a slight embarrassment.

"Watch out, Gaara will soon surpass you, dear. You just might have to give him your position of Kazekage," his mother, who was sitting by the father's side said to her husband.

"Heh," Kazekage gave out a short laugh. "Then I'm looking forward to that."

Gaara smiled at his parents. He inherited the ability to manipulate sand from his mother, but was yet to master it. His father was the master of gold dust manipulation, so he usually helped him in training. He was glad to have a parent who could look out for his growth.

Suddenly another face came into the room. "Gaara-sama. Your friend is here," a smiling Yashamaru said.

True enough, in a matter of seconds, an orange ball of energy rushed inside their living room.

"Heya! What game do we play today?" the blonde asked in excitement, a huge grin covering his face.

The teal orbs brightened up of their own accord. "Ah. Naruto." He greeted his friend and turned around pleadingly to his father, the Yondaime Kazekage.

The older redhead could only sigh with an understanding smile at him. "Don't be too late, Gaara."

"Yeh." And with those words he rushed to his friend's side, being pulled away by the tanned hand gripping his own.

* * *

The years the two spent together were the most precious moments in the redhead's life. He couldn't be happier to have gained such a good friend from the early age.

At the age of fifteen, the two were still going as strong as ever.

The blonde invited Gaara to play some video games into his room. Truthfully, he would usually loose, Naruto seemed to be unbeatable in his art, but that still didn't stop Gaara from coming over time and time again.

After all, he liked their time together.

"Aah, I win again. Yosha!" Naruto raised his fist in the air, a sense of victory overwhelming him.

The redhead only chuckled slightly at him. "Congratulations. As per usual."

"Tee-hee," the blonde grinned at him and then just plopped on the floor by Gaara's side.

Gaara didn't mind the silence, he usually didn't feel awkward about it, but with Naruto it was close to impossible for him to stay still for a long period of times so he knew that it was only a matter of seconds before the blonde would burst with some other crazy idea of his.

Though, this one took the redhead off guard.

"Hey, Gaara…" Naruto began. His voice sounding more deeper than usual, and when Gaara glanced at him, he could see the seriousness in his eyes. Gaara narrowed his eyes slightly. It was a rare feat for Naruto to broach a serious topic, though, when he did, they would spend hours discussing it.

He was starting to feel intrigued, but only stayed quiet, letting Naruto speak.

The blonde opened his mouth, and the words left his mouth a tad bit reluctantly, like he was unsure. " Hey… have you ever… kissed anyone?"

"Eh?" Gaara's eyes widened. Of all the crazy things his friend could have asked him, he didn't expect this one.

"Well, have you?" This time Naruto turned to him, locking their eyes together.

He was dead serious.

"…no," he answered. There was not much to tell, really.

Suddenly something seemed to click in the blonde. A rush of what Gaara could only call as mischievous excitement oozing out of him.

"Then! Then! Do you want to try it out with me?" the blonde asked with a huge grin on his face and sparkling eyes.

The teal orbs widened even more. "W-what?"

"Oh, come on!" Naruto placed his hand casually on Gaara's shoulder, patting it, the grin still present on his face. "We should try it out and check what everyone is making such a fuss about. " Then his voice changed to half a whisper. His one hand covering his lips, like he was telling a big secret. "Aren't you curious too?"

Gaara squirmed a bit under his friend's gaze. Curious? Well, he couldn't lie that he wasn't. Still… he wasn't sure what that got to with this idea of Naruto's.

"That might be so, but…" he reluctantly agreed.

"Yosh!" Naruto seemed to hear no more as he clasped his hands together. "Let's go with it then!" he announced and then grabbed his both slender shoulders with his hands, shocking the redhead. "Are you ready?"

Something simply paralyzed Gaara then. The beaming smile that could lit up the sun itself, the sky blue eyes and encouraging squeezes on his both shoulders…

He was way too weak against Naruto's persuasion.

So he could only nod.

A warm smile spread across Naruto's features and then he began to lean forward, closing the distance between the two.

The wait was nerve-wracking but at the same time exciting. In a matter of seconds, he could feel Naruto's breath on his face. It felt strange. But somehow at the same time it wasn't an unpleasant sensation either. He slowly drew closer in towards the redhead, until the first contact between their lips was made.

It was only a fleeting sensation of lips brushing against each other. Nothing more, nothing less. It was too quick to analyze how he felt about it when the blond was already pulling away.

Blue irises bore into him, trying to gauge his friend's reaction the same way Gaara was trying to gauge his. For a while neither said anything, just watching each other, and then a sheepish look crossed the blond's features.

"Well… I guess it wasn't that big a deal after all," he said while scratching the back of his head with his hand. Gaara could only observe the blonde's slightly embarrassed look.

He really didn't have much of a motive to say what he did next, but somehow he still did. "Maybe…," he started, gaining Naruto's attention back towards him. "Maybe it's because the contact was too short..."

Teal orbs glanced up to the widened blues, until something flickered into them. "Then…should we should try again?"

At that point something changed in the air between them. Somehow his friend's boyish face suddenly looked more mature and serious than he's ever seen. The face of a man.

Gaara was never one to interact much with people. Although others respected him and many looked up to him, the closest he let someone else to come near him would be Naruto. He wondered why. Somehow from their early childhood they just clicked. And never separated from then on.

So it was only natural that when his most important person was looking at him like that, he could could only nod in agreement. Gaara would have probably agreed to anything the blond had asked of him then. The faint blush on the tanned skin was the last thing he saw before his half-lidded eyes closed completely at the feel of stronger pressure this time against his lips.

From then on, they didn't speak much about the labels and such of what was that the two had between them, but they got only closer, never leaving each other's side.

Until their last breath…

* * *

The pair of teals shot open.

His breathing was ragged and he could feel a trace of sweat on his forehead.

He slowly pushed the covers away and sat up in his made-up bed in the Kage's chambers. That's right. He was not in Suna, but Konoha. He came here weeks ago in order to ask Hokage to hold his engagement ceremony.

He sighed slowly, his one hand coming up to hold his head.

That dream…

While being trapped inside Infinite Tsukiyomi he dreamt of a happier childhood where he played with Naruto as his friend. The time was boundless inside the dream so his experience lasted of years.

Back then he must have already subconsciously realized his deeper feelings for the blonde, so his own desires created a reality where the two bonded together.

Naruto.

He now knew that the feeling of being kissed by Uzumaki Naruto in the dream and the real experience were way too different.

The reality was just that much more real. The desire, the warmth, the pain were that much greater than a happy dream he blissfully unaware once had.

Naruto's kisses were rough, demanding and angry. Anger that he could still not understand.

Glancing around the room he saw the first rays of sunshine.

Early morning, huh?

Well, he guessed, he should take a shower and get dressed for the day.

After the refreshing shower he felt a bit better. His thoughts seemed to settle down a bit too. Still, his own desires were starting to spin out of control. With everything that has been going on with Naruto, he was slowly loosing the sense of reality.

He didn't come to Konoha to play around with Naruto after all.

He closed his eyes, not wanting to dwell on it much longer. Separating the white towel from his slightly damp body, he processed to get dressed. He got his underwear and pants on and then reached out into his wardrobe for a top, when something crashed outside his doors, giving him only a moment of realization to turn his head back to see what is going on.

The doors slipped open with a bang, revealing a determined blonde, his yellow locks shinning at the first rays of sunshine.

"Gaara! Let's go on a date!" he announced.

The redhead could only blink with widened eyes.

Was this the continuation of his dream?

No. He was pretty sure he was awake already. Not a genjutsu. Then…

He then looked up to see Naruto frozen in place. He seemed to only stare at him with his lips slightly parted. Opening up and closing again, as if of loss of words. He then gulped audibly.

"Err…. Sorry. You were changing. Um… I'll just come back later… bye!"

And with that he was gone, doors slamming shut.

Gaara blinked at his retreat and then glanced down. That's right. He was in the middle of putting on a top. Now his torso was still completely bare.

His cheeks burned a little at the thought of being left on display for Uzumaki Naruto yet again.

Frankly speaking he never even thought of being cautious about something like having his privacy while in the early morning of his own room. Nobody would ever dare to enter without knocking. Not if they wanted to keep their heads… well, or at least their jobs.

Nobody but Uzumaki Naruto, it seems.

Gaara must admit he underestimated the potential of Naruto.

He was one dangerous being.

With a sigh, the redhead processed to pull his top over his head when once again the doors opened up, this time catching him with his arms above his head, trapped in the fabric.

"Oh, right! You haven't eaten yet, right? Let's go eat together!" the blonde idiot grinned and then opened his eyes, momentary freezing again. "You still changing? Geez, should I help you out?" he laughed a bit, freezing Gaara in place and with a wave of his hand left the room.

Uzumaki Naruto.

Gaara was sure that understanding the blonde fully was the skill he had not yet possessed.

* * *

After the whole awkward ordeal in the early morning, the two met up by the gates of his current residence and the two walked off to the destination.

"So, what is it that we're having for breakfast?" Gaara asked in his deep voice.

"Well, Ichiraku's ramen, of course!" the blonde exclaimed happily while already passing a pair of chopsticks to his friend and then grabbing a pair to himself, splitting them in two. "Tee-hee."

That's right. Somehow the two ended up at Naruto's regular place. Since Naruto was insisting on treating his friend, Gaara supposed he done this out of the lack of metal in his wallet. Well, he could work with that. He wasn't too picky where to get his breakfast.

"Aah, delicious!" the blonde exclaimed after the first slurp. "You're the best, uncle!" He praised the owner with a thumb up.

The redhead caught himself staring at the blonde's profile. Naruto was acting like before. Like how they used to be before  _that happened._  His eyes narrowed slightly.

_What was he doing?_

"Naruto," he called out to the blond who turned around with a mouthful of spaghetti still in his mouth.

"Huh?" His eyes sparkled with innocence.

Gaara felt something swirl inside himself. Everything seemed fine right now. The two could finally come back to eat together without that constant tension between them. Did he want to disturb this blessed calm just because he was yet again uncertain of Naruto's reasons?

No. Some things were better off left unsaid. He should probably realize this already that understanding Naruto's reasoning was not that simple. And if the blonde wanted, he would share with him.

His shoulders slumped slightly. But at the same time he felt lighter. Somehow, simply choosing to accept what Naruto gave him was more freeing than anything.

He would accept what he's given.

"No. It's nothing," he said simply, turning around towards his own portion of food.

"Hey, Gaara…"

Gaara stopped short.

_Those words again?_

This whole morning he felt like he was being tested. Both mentally and physically if the constant increase of his heart was anything to go by. He chose to remain calm anyway. It was not like Naruto would ask him if he was ever kissed anyway. After all he already had his first kiss with…

Naruto.

His cheeks started to burn and he couldn't be more glad about having his sand armor on.

Feigning total calmness he glanced slightly at Naruto, only nearly having a heart attack when Naruto's face proved to be just a few inches away from his own. He felt his eyes widen.

Sky blue orbs were watching him intently, something unwavering about them. He usually had this look when he was giving his all in the battle. Ready to protect his friends at any cost. Now he was giving  _the look_  towards Gaara.

The redhead breathed out a shivering breath. "What?"

"Hey… have you…." He started again, making Gaara only hear his own loud heartbeat, his teal eyes focusing way too much on the moving mouth of the blond.

Something was starting to buzz inside his ears.

The background sound fading away.

He felt the blonde's breath against his skin, the sensation similar to wind as he still had his sand armor on.

Naruto…

He glanced up at the blue orbs, who smiled playfully at him. "Have you finished yet? Shall we go?" he asked and with those words all the sounds returned to the redhead.

He blinked back from the trance. Naruto was grinning at him, his own 4 bowls of ramen empty by his side.

"AH! You didn't finish it yet! No, rather… have even tried it yet? It doesn't look like you took a bite at all! Hey hey, do you dislike ramen?"

Gaara sat still in his seat for a moment.

What… since when was he swayed that easily?

He was aware that his motivation in life might have revolved mostly around Naruto but his heart never was that vulnerable to influence.

He held Naruto deeply into his heart. It didn't interfere with his work. It didn't interfere with his daily life. But now it was like he could no longer control it.

_No control over his own heart._

His non existent brows furrowed in thought. Could he really do it? Could he offer his heart to Naruto that easily and handle the rejection later on?

Once, he was sure he could do it, that's why he allowed himself to hold onto the feeling of love he had for the blond, but now that seemed to not be the case anymore…

Could he handle the heartbreak of having his heart rejected?

A sudden fear filled his insides.

"Oi! Gaara! I said, Gaara, are you listening to me?!" Naruto was trying to get his attention in the background. When nothing worked, he placed his hand against the slender shoulder, giving it a shake. That seemed to do the work.

"Are you all right?" the blonde asked, his features masked in slight worry.

The redhead nodded slightly. "Yeh."

"You sure? Because you seem a bit off… I would say you look pale, but… I can't tell with your sand armor after all," Naruto said sheepishly.

Gaara willed himself to relax. "Don't worry. I'm fine. Shall we go?" he offered while standing up.

"Eh? But you didn't even finish eating," Naruto protested, while standing up himself.

"I'm thankful for the food, I apologize that I couldn't finish it," he formally regarder the owner.

"No worries. You can just come back later. Get some rest now. You too, Naruto."

"Eh, ah, yeh! We'll be there!" Naruto saluted to the owner and rushed after the redhead.

The two walked for a long while in silence.

Gaara was too overwhelmed by his own feelings and Naruto would just keep glancing at the redhead with his arms folded behind his head, making a face like he wanted to say something.

They walked a few meters like that when suddenly the blonde stopped, exclaiming. "Aah! I know! Yup, yup," he nodded to himself. Gaara watched him questioningly until Naruto turned around with a beaming smile.

"Hey, you're free now, right? Let's go somewhere."

"Where do you want to go, Naruto?"

"Hehe, somewhere precious," he said brightly and then he barely let Gaara to register his words because he took his pale arm in his own tanned one, tugging the redhead after him. "Let's go."

"W-wait, Naruto…" he tried to protest but the words dead out in his mouth.

Watching Naruto's back and feeling his hand in his own he couldn't bring himself to refuse.

His hand…

Slowly, so that it would be unnoticeable, he willed his sand from his left hand to leave his skin, leaving it bare.

A shudder went down his body at the feel of skin against skin. He suppressed it and squeezed the hand that was holding his.

He wondered if Naruto noticed, because a knowing chuckle escaped the blonde's mouth.

Gaara lowered his eyes.

_What was he doing?_

It took them a few more minutes in comfortable, even if not calm, silence when Naruto stopped. "We're here," he announced. Gaara looked around but he could only see the usual streets of Konoha.

He wondered if this place was somehow important to the blond.

But then the tanned arm slowly rose up in the sky, pointing. "Over there!"

Gaara's eyes widened slightly, unsure. "Hokage's Tower?"

"Yup! Come on," he urged the redhead and just then let go of his hand.

It felt like something was a miss at once.

Pushing the thoughts away, Gaara proceeded to follow the blond. The two leapt in the air, going from rooftop to rooftop, pushing chakra to their feet to go on the walls until they finally reached the rooftop of the Hokage Tower.

They landed with a soft thud, cushioning their landing with their chakra.

Gaara was the first to straighten up and look around. "What're we doing here?"

"Heh," the blonde let out a proud laugh. "This is the place that soon I'm going to be part of. And where you could visit. There!" he pointed out onto a faraway mountain where the heads of all Kohages were engraved into stone. "Nanadaime Hokage's face. Uzumaki Naruto. Just wait for it, dattebayo!" he announced happily and then settled his hands against his hips.

Gaara smiled at him from the sidelines. "Yeh."

"Yosh! Since my occupation is clear, let'sit down," Naruto said casually and plopped down on the floor. Gaara only stared at him.

"I don't think the _current_  Hokage would be too pleased by this."

"It's fine it's fine. I informed Kakashi-sensei that I might have to occupy one or two places and that he shouldn't worry about it when I do." Naruto swatted his hand offhandedly and proceeded to lay down, hands behind his back.

"Informed the Hokage, huh…" Gaara whispered in a low voice and then chuckled softly. "I guess that's about right."

He came to sit somewhere near Naruto, his hands resting behind his back and his legs stretched out.

The next moment something heavy plopped against his legs. Startled, Gaara looked down to see a grinning face of the blond, who was now casually laying on his friend's lap with his eyes closed.

"N-naru…to?"

"Just let me rest for a bit like that," he said in a lower voice. "But I'll move if you hate it."

Gaara knew when he saw a flicker of uncertainly in the blond. Even with his eyes closed, his whole body tensing gave it away. "No. You can stay," he said evenly and then added. "I don't mind."

He supposed that was the right response, because soon he gained a beaming smile from the blond on his lap. "Thanks."

They stayed like that in silence for a while.

Gaara stared at the steady rise and fall of the orange suit. His breathing seemed to be even too. Was he asleep?

"Naruto?"

When he gained no response he guessed he was right. He wondered if he should wake him up. But as always in these situations, the more selfish part of human nature won out.

_Just a little bit longer._

Before, Gaara could have never imagined himself being so close to another human being. He had no desire for human contact besides killing, nor connecting with them on a mental level. Since he met Naruto he started to desire all those things. Little by little he strived to be someone needed. And even after he reached all that, even after he gained friends, loving siblings, his people, Naruto still continued to change him.

Now he was starting to experience even more foreign feelings than he had ever before.

His own thoughts seemed to shift to a more selfish side, desiring things he had no claim of.

Claim…

It was not a word he could associate with Naruto. He was the hope of the whole world. His path of light was followed by more souls than he could ever hope to count. So for him to desire to have him…

_What did that mean anyway?_

To have someone solely for his own. What did that mean exactly?

Instinctively his fingers settled down against the blonde locks.

_Soft._

He started to rummage his digits around the yellow mess that was Naruto's hair.

"Mm…it feels nice."

A sudden sound from the blond, made him still. Apparently Naruto wasn't as asleep as he thought. He proceeded to withdraw his fingers when a hand shot out, encircling his wrist and pulling it back towards the ruffled hair. "Don't. I like the feel of your hands," a soft whisper could be heard in the silence of the air.

So he let them stay.

Though, doing something like that when the other person is unaware was a completely different thing than doing it when the one was awake. Gaara willed himself to not think too much into it, closing his eyes.

"Gaara…" the sound of his name being called, made the redhead focus on his lap. Naruto was now watching him squarely into his eyes. He stilled the movements of his fingers.

"You know, I…" Naruto started in a serious voice.

The sudden voice from below felt like a blow to them, suddenly bursting their bubble.

"Gaara! There you are."

Both of their heads turned towards the voice, Naruto sitting up and Gaara standing up.

"Kankurou? What are you doing here?"

"That's what I would like to ask you," his brother shot out. "It's already past lunch, Iwa's noblemen have already arrived."

Gaara's eyes widened. "That time already?"

"Huh? What's this about Iwa's noblemen arriving?" Naruto suddenly appeared by Kazekage's side, looking confused.

"Eh? You were here too?" Kankurou asked, baffled.

"We had breakfast together," Gaara answered him instead.

"But it's already past lunch…" Kankurou commented to which Gaara didn't know what to say.

"Sorry. It's because I fell asleep," Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Kankurou blinked in surprise. "Fell asleep?"

"Nevermind," Gaara cut him off. "Naruto. Thank you for keeping me company. I'm going now."

"Ah. Yeh. No problem."

The Kazekage then briskly leapt from the rooftop until he reached the ground where Kankurou stood.

"Man, Naruto is rubbing off on you. The great Kazekage is jumping rooftops now instead of using doors," Kankurou said jokingly.

"You already said I'm late. There's no point in wasting more time," Gaara only replied and started walking away.

"I'll see you around! Gaara!" Naruto yelled out with a wave.

He watched them go with a slight longing look until he caught the pupeteer watching him. Being caught off guard he raised his hand to wave at him too, even if tad bit awkwardly but he only seemed to be ignored as something indescribable passed down the older sibling's features.

"Oi, that's rude," the blonde huffed and then sighed. "What was that about?"

**One day ago…**

Having finally settled down his feelings for a certain redhead, Naruto was on a mission.

He had to court Gaara.

There was no other way about it.

The only problem was that… he had never dated before. So his knowledge of dating was… well… how should he say it… a bit close to non-existent?

He could only sigh miserably. If only he had a manual of some sort…

A manual….

Oh, right! A manual!

He bumped his fist against his palm when he realized that he knew just a place.

It took him only a few minutes to get to the place.

Another ten to bury his face in the manual of all dating.

"It's customary for the man to pay for all the expenses of the date...," he read out loud. "I see…" he hummed in thought. "For you to have this kind of book… Sai, I knew it was a good idea to look for your advice."

"No problem. But you going on a date, huh?" the pale shinobi asked in slight amazement. "I must say it's a surprise. I always thought you loved Sakura-san, to think you were homosexual…" he trailed off.

Naruto spun around at once. "Hold on right there! Let me make this clear to you. I don't _swing that way_. You hear me?" He said with a pointed finger at him. "Gaara is a special case. That's all!"

Sai only tilted his head. "Swing? I believe you can swing both ways," he said casually.

Suddenly Naruto found himself looking at Sai in a wholly different light. Eyes full of adoration, he clasped his hands together to look at the white skinned shinobi. "Really? You really think so? Right? It's true, right?"

Sai regarded him strangely. "Well, yes," he agreed calmly, ignoring the shining eyes of his friend. "It would be impossible to move otherwise. Unless you move both backwards and forwards."

"Huh?" Naruto asked, confused. "Backwards and… forwards?" he repeated slowly. "Sai… don't tell me you're actually talking about 'swings'."

"That's right. What else would we be talking about?"

Naruto hung his head.

He knew it. It seemed to be too good to be true.

"Nevermind that now. Let's just go back to research," he said in defeat and plopped down on the chair once more, opening another page of the Manual.

"Share your precious place with them…" he read. "Precious place…. Hmm… I wonder what that is… I guess it's Konoha, but it's not like he's not already here…. Hmm…" He put a finger under his chin. "Then… Ichiraku's Ramen shop! No…. we would be already going there for a meal…. Hmm… well, nevermind, it will come later. Let's see… 'bend the iron while still hot'… what the hell is that?" Naruto exclaimed with a frown. "Ah, it got explanation here… 'use the opportunity wisely. Don't wait if not absolutely necessary' I see! I'll go up to him at the first sunshine then!" Naruto nodded to himself, seemingly proud.

"Use words to express your feelings before going further…" he read another page.

"Ah! I completely failed on this! What should I do!?"

"Well, if you start from the beginning, you might still be able to fix it, I believe," Sai said to him with a reassuring smile.

"I can, right?" Naruto smiled in relief. "Yosh! Tomorrow I'll show my resolve to Gaara. Just you wait, dattebayo!"

And that's generally how Naruto got the crazy idea to follow a manual how to court Gaara.

* * *

**Coming back to the present...**

He didn't see Gaara for a while now. The sun had already set. You could see the stars in the sky.

"At least it's a clear night," Naruto mussed while going through the streets with his hands in his pockets.

Passing by the shopping stalls, he watched how everyone packed their stuff, finishing their business for the day. The streets were starting to scatter.

He wondered if he could still see the redhead today.

If that Kankurou wouldn't have interupted the two…

He sighed.

Timing.

That was a key word in the Manual. You have to find the perfect timing for this type of thing, but at the same time not wait out too long or you might loose your opportunity forever. Which is a complicated mess in itself but Naruto was determinated to find the right answer for that.

He thought he found the perfect oportunity; with him laying down comfortably on Gaara's lap and the redhead watching him right in the eyes…

"Argh! That Kankurou!" he exclaimed, ruffling his hair in frustration.

"What? Complaining to me now?"

Naruto spun around and true enough, the middle Suna sibling was leaning against one of the walls of the building.

"You-!" Naruto's eyes widened.

"Yo," the puppeteer greeted. "So, going to the welcoming party?"

"Huh?"

"Oi, seriously? Don't tell me you haven't heard…"

Naruto looked at him questioningly. "Haven't heard about what?"

Kankurou could only sigh. Honestly, how this brat was the hero of the shinobi world, he could never understand. "Iwa's noblemen have arrived earlier today to discuss the upcoming marriage plans with Gaara and Hoshino Mika. Hokage is throwing a welcoming party for them."

"Oh," Naruto replied somehow lifelessly. "And when is this party?"

"Today."

"Today!?" the blonde exclaimed, eyes wide.

"In fact, it's gonna start soon. I'm just going to check up on Gaara if he's already done changing and we'll be going."

"Gaara…" Naruto trailed off. His face had a thoughtful look. "Hey, can I come there too?" he suddenly asked Kankurou, surprising him.

"Huh? Well, yeh, I suppose."

"Yosh. Thank you!" Naruto exclaimed and ran off before the puppeteer could tell him about the place.

* * *

The party was a complete bore.

Earlier today, with the help of his sage mode chakra, Naruto came to get Gaara. With his Kage robes and all. Speaking of which... they seemed to have forgotten to wait for Kankurou... well, nevermind that now.

So here they were. At this hell'a of a boring welcoming party. Filled with noisy old geezers and not much for fun. Of course, unless you were chugging down cup after cup of sake, which (surprise surprise) Kakashi and Tsunade were both eagerly doing. The current Hokage not failing to entertain the fellow noblemen of Iwa with explicit stories of Icha Icha series.

 _Way_  too much details…

Hoshino Mika was present at the beginning, when things were still more or less civil, but after Sakura saw where everything was going, she quickly escorted her back to her chambers.

So that left Naruto and Gaara sitting by each other's side.

Naruto glanced at the redhead's cup.

He knew it.

It was still full. His very first cup!

Aaah, he wondered if it would be easier if Gaara was drunk.

No. No. He shook those thoughts away. He need him sober. Yup.

He sighed. Even if he said that… he was not sure everything would miraculously turn out okay. But still… he was not giving up now! He will do everything he can.

"Hey, Gaara…." He spoke in a whisper, taking the redhead's attention. "Do you want to get out of here?"

Gaara let out a breath of air from his lips. "I wish. But, being present in this welcoming party is my duty as Kazekage," he said solemnly. His eyes stared at the loud crowd on the other side of the long table where they were sitting at. Iwa's noblemen were having their hands wrapped around young women (like where the hell did they come from?), sake was being poured almost directly into their mouths... He wondered if he somehow stepped foot into red light district.

"Geh. That reminds me of Pervy Sage," Naruto said while grimacing at the sight ahead.

Gaara smiled slightly at Naruto. "Certainly. Your master had a reputation in this kind of area."

"That's right," Naruto agreed. "He would leave me to train alone time and time again to go chase after some girls," he huffed. "But…" A fond smile appeared on his features. "I suppose I still miss him."

"The ones we loose we can still carry them inside our hearts," Gaara said in a deep voice, making Naruto glance over. "Wasn't that what you said?"

"Yeh," Naruto agreed, sharing a fond smile with Gaara.

Suddenly someone landed a blow on the table, spilling the drinks all over the place. "Woah!"

"Maa, maa, Tobira-san," Kakashi's voice rang out.

Gaara merely shifted aside while Naruto jumped onto his feet, seeing it as opportunity. "Gaara. Come on, we'll get them new drinks." He reached out for Gaara's forearm and pulled him to his feet. Wordlessly the redhead followed him.

When they were a good distance away, Naruto stopped, sparing a glance at the crowd to see if anyone was looking and put his fingers into a seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." His clone appeared with a poof of smoke.

"Listen," Naruto looked at his clone sternly. "Grab those drinks for those old men over there and pretend to be me, okay? Don't be caught. No matter what."

The clone saluted. "Got it, boss!"

Gaara watched the exchange with a slight frown on his face when he felt eyes upon him. He looked up to see Naruto watching him expectedly. "Well? Aren't you going to create a sand clone?"

"Sand clone? Naruto… my clones cannot speak. If I was asked something, I would be find out at once."

"Well, it's good thing that they won't ask you anything then, right? Sorry, but you're not exactly the most talktive person out there. So even if you don't say anything, you'll be fine. And well, if they asked something my clone could always cover you up, so it's fine. Just do it, dattebayo."

Debating it for a while longer, finally Gaara gave in, creating a clone of sand of himself.

Soon enough the pair watched the leaving backs of their clones.

"Yosh, mission 'escape the boring as hell welcoming party for old geezers' success!" Naruto yelled in a victory whisper. "Let's go. Gaara."

* * *

They stopped in the dark alley. It had a dim lighting, but it seemed to be more deserted than others. The passing wind whistled in the silent area.

He wanted for a quiet place to talk but now Naruto felt like he just led them to creepy as hell place. He shivered slightly.

"It's beautiful."

Gaara's voice woke him up and he glanced at the readhead, who had his head tilted back, watching the night's scenery. Uncountable amount of stars were shinning brightly at them. With the lack of lighting in the area they were more visible than ever.

"Yeh," Naruto agreed, but he never once broke his gaze he had towards the redhead. His spiky red hair illuminated in the moonlight, the dark ringed eyes against his fair skin, his pale lips which could turn bright red from being kissed.

Gaara was simply beautiful.

What was he doing having someone so cute right under his nose and not realizing it?

Naruto felt simply stupid. Not that it was any surprise there….

Swallowing tightly, he opened his mouth, his heart starting to beat faster in his ribcage.

"Don't get married to her. "

He saw how Gaara's whole posture stiffened, his eyes not seeing the view ahead anymore. Slowly he straightened, turning his teal orbs towards Naruto, waiting.

Naruto stopped himself from shifting on his foot. This was something he had to have confidence in. He steeled his gaze.

"There's no way you'll ever be happy with her," he said with all asurance he could muster up in that moment.

Gaara's eyes glazed over, something of sadness passing over his features. "How can you know that?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Because..!" Naruto started in a loud voice, taking a step forward, but then stopped, calming himself a bit. He turned his gaze to the side slightly. "Because I get it, you know?" he began in a soft whisper.

"Wanting to have a family… I know that feeling all too well… what loneliness you had to experience… I get it." He closed his eyes as his voice cracked at the end. He exhaled, opening his eyes again. "I get it, but even so… it's just a fake, isn't it?"

Looking up to bore his eyes into the teal orbs, he held their gaze. "You said it yourself, didn't you…Gaara? 'Peace under an illusion is not true peace.'"

Dark ringed eyes widened at his words.

"Isn't that's what you're doing right now? Settling down with someone who you don't trully care for... There's  _no way_  you can truly be happy with that!"Naruto ended with his fist clenched, breathing out hard, but even so, his eyes never left Gaara's.

The fraction of something flickering inside the teal orbs, how they narrowed and the straigthened out again, Naruto saw it all.

Because he was watching.

"Then what do you propose I do different, Naruto?" Gaara asked him suddenly, taking Naruto off guard. The redhead seemed to be interested in his answer, but he couldn't think of an easier question in his whole life. With a sure grin on his face, he faced the readhead on, bringing him his answer full head on.

"Stay with me! I'll become your family!"

"You-!" The redhead simply froze in shock. He couldn't believe what was the blonde saying. "Do you even know what you're saying?" he asked, because surely, nobody could possibly offer him this. Least of all Uzumaki Naruto.

"Yeh, I know," Naruto assured the redhead. Taking another step further he stopped just a short distance away from him, making the redhead tense. His blue eyes changed into a tender look.

"And I'm not doing this just because I love you and want to make you mine alone. But it's because I genuinely care about you and want to make you happy. Gaara."

The redhead's breathing stopped short for a moment. His teal orbs stared at the blond in complete shock.

"You… love me?"

After all the realities and dreams he imagined, did his own reality bore fruit to his most secret desire?

_Was he really loved?_

"Ah. I said it. Maan, it shouldn't have come out like that…" Naruto grumbled. "Oh geez. Well, whatever. It's the truth after all." Straightening up, he settled his blue irises against the still widened teal orbs.

He opened his mouth, hoping that the sincerity of his heart could be reached by the redhead.

"Gaara, I love you. "

The beating of the redhead's heart increased tenfold.

_Could this actually be real?_

"But  _that night,_ when you kissed me _,_ you were so angry at me…"

"Ah! Yeeeh, that was not the best moment of mine," Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Honestly, I was so blinded by jealously towards Mika that I nearly failed to notice the most important thing," he paused, letting his hand fall by his side. "My true feelings for you."

"Jealousy?"

"She had you," Naruto said in a deep voice. He remembered all the struggle he had and the pain that came with it. Closing his blue eyes, he sighed. "She was your fiance after all.

Suddenly there was a place in your life which I couldn't reach anymore. I hated that," he admitted with a sad look. "I wanted you all for myself but back then I couldn't understand what was I feeling so I took it out on you. Sorry. If your sand wouldn't have stopped me back then, I don't know how far I would have gone just to make claim on you…"

Staring right at the struggling blonde, Gaara could only think that he was the same.

He always thought he was only meant to be part of the many people that were important to Naruto but still secretly desired to become someone special to the blond.

That wish was something he was sure that would never be granted. But then…

A lone tear ran down past the pale cheek.

"That's why… Gaara, stay with me. From now on let's stay properly together. "

Slowly a tanned arm rose in the air, stopping between the two of them.

It seemed like a ritual for them. To accept each other with the handshake. To accept what the two were to each other.

Naruto.

_Was it all right to love you after all?_

His fair hair, whisker marks against his cheeks, his strong arms that could hold his body that tightly… was it all right to desire all that?

His pale lips quivered slightly as he found himself simply mesmerized by the sight of his once true savior Uzumaki Naruto.

The most important person in his life.

He failed to notice when something flickered in the sky. They both did. Until it was too late.

Suddenly a loud bang echoed inside the silent valley.

_Bang_

It was a deafening sound.

At once the blonde twirled around, looking at the direction the sound came from. "What the hell was that?"

Gaara's eyes narrowed in the direction the smoke came from. He saw from his peripheral vision how Naruto jumped on top of the rooftop for a better look. "What's going on…?" the blonde whispered, his eyes widened in shock. "It looks like a bomb has gone off down there."

Judging from the sound it made, Gaara guessed as much.

But something more troubling unsettled the young Kazekage's mind.

He wished he was wrong, but…

Just then something else flickering in the sky, and this time Gaara saw exactly where it was heading. His dark ringed eyes widened as his mouth opened into a shout. "Naruto!"

* * *

 _**to be continued...** _ **  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing is as it seems...
> 
> Recap: Naruto finally decided to pursue Gaara and he spent the whole morning/noon with him. In the middle of the celebration for Iwa's noblemen coming to congratulate the bride(Mika) and the groom(Gaara) to-be, Naruto and Gaara make a run for it. Naruto confesses his true feelings for Gaara just as a bomb goes off in Konoha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for being so late in updating! I hope this chapter will be enjoyable for you, even if a bit difficult, whoever still are (if) following this little story of mine. Love and/or criticism is welcome!

**#8**

A flash of blinding white light behind his eyes made Gaara squeeze them shut.

"Urgh…" he groaned at the dull pain in his eyes. The sensation was sharp and sudden, making him disoriented for a moment there. He felt weightless. Floating through space. But just as suddenly, it was gone. Cautiously Gaara opened his lids, focusing his view ahead. Nothing appeared to be out of order. He was alone. Alone in his Kage's office.

He took a few deep breaths in to calm his suddenly racing heart.

He wondered what was that about. Maybe Temari was right, he must have exhausted himself, pulling so much all-nighters.

With a sigh, he settled back into his chair, coming back to the work at hand; the stack of paperwork sitting on his desk.

Long, slender fingers continued to scribble down the papers. He could feel a faint ache in his joints. Having been working on this for days was starting to take a toll on him.

He raised his one pale hand to rub at his dark ringed eyes, heaving a tired sigh. It has been a while since he stayed up for so long…

Assignments…

S rank missions…

International contracts…

Gaara eyed the pile of documents on his right with a wary expression.

It was only to be expected. As a Kazekage, being away from his village for so long, he had to make up for all the lost time. Still, he was glad to have spent all that time in Konoha…

More times than not, he found himself smiling silently in memory.

Naruto…

Just then, a strong gust of wind blew outside his window. For a moment he stopped what he was doing to give a sideway glance out of his window; the people out in the streets were rushing about to gather their things. He saw how a mother picked a young girl in her arms to rush her inside. Doors closing shut.

A sign of a sand storm coming.

A commong occurrence in Suna. Usually it would pass within the day.

"Another day gone by, huh?" he mussed quietly in thought.

His train of thoughts were disturbed by a sudden disturbance outside his office. At first he didn't pay it too much attention, until it became too apparent.

Something literally crashed outside his office doors, followed by a pair of alarming voices.

He narrowed his eyes, waiting for the presense to burst through the doors.

A pair of teals blinked once just before the doors to his office flew open, revealing a heavily panting blonde, followed by a group of red faced shinobi right at his heels.

"You-!" one shouted out in anger, trying to make a grab for him, while the other, noticing that they were in the presence of the Kazekage, quickly jabbed him in the side, silencing him.

The young man took a moment to catch his breath, resting his hands against his thighs. Gaara could spot a bead of sweat running down the tanned temple.

The Kazekage wondered what did he have to go through to finally reach his office.

Exhaling a deep breath, the blond man straightened up, opening his bright azure eyes, a wide toothy grin plastered on his face.

"Hey, Gaara. How've you been?" he saluted cheerily, a hint of pink covering his cheeks.

A pleasant feeling ran through Gaara's whole body at seeing Naruto. Having not seen each other for a few weeks, he certainly missed the blond.

"Naruto…" Gaara stared at him, surprise still evident on his face.

"Kazekage-sama! We tried to stop him, but-"

"Aah! That's right!" Naruto cut him off, turning around to face the shinobi who spoke. " _Why_ were you trying to stop me? I told you I was going to see Gaara."

"Kazekage-sama was busy, and you'd be distur-"

"But he ain't busy. Look at him!" Naruto pointed at Gaara with his finger. "He's just sitting there."

A shade of red covered the shinobi's face. "How dare you-!" he started in anger, until Gaara interupted them.

"That's enough."

"Eh? But Kazekage-sama-!"

"You may leave us now," Gaara informed him, giving him a pointed look. The flinch he got from the shinobi wasn't intended but he guessed it must be the effect from his tired looking eyes. They appeared more glaring than he wanted.

Just before the shinobi duo left the room, Naruto glanced at them with a smug expression on his face, gaining a glare from them. It only amused Naruto, if anything.

Privileges such as being Kazekage's closest friend sure were nice. "Tee-hee." Naruto grinned in thought.

A deep sigh echoed throughout the room, making Naruto glance up towards the Kazekage's desk. The redhead had a pen in his hand, signing, what appeared as contracts, with great concentration. The rings around his eyes, it seemed, had gained a darker shade over the period of time they haven't seen each other. Naruto was sure his complexion wouldn't be looking too well either, but, as always, he just couldn't tell when Gaara was wearing his sand armor.

Overall, he looked worn out.

"Gaara…"

Naruto's voice seemed to have brought Gaara back from his transe. He looked up to meet the blue irises, only to widen his teals when he realized he spaced out on Naruto, forgetting he was even there.

The redhead cast his eyes downwards, forming a crease in his forehead. "Sorry. I've been pretty busy lately. Didn't mean to disregard your presense like that."

"Don't worry about it," Naruto said in assurance, crossing his arms behind his head. "Are you all right tho?"

"The paperwork is giving me a headache. Other than that, I'm fine," he said in return, a small, grateful smile playing on his lips.

He couldn't deny the exhilarating feeling at having Naruto here, and he felt a great disappointment for not being able to give his time to the blond. But his duty came first.

He must have unfocused yet again, because he gained a shock when he suddenly felt a heavy pressure settle down against his back.

"Hmm… this seems pretty complicated to me," Naruto said in thought. Gaara had to suppress the shudder at feeling Naruto so close by. His hold on the pen tightened.

"These are all pretty much common international contracts. I guess there's no harm in letting you get familiar with them," he said in an even voice and picked up one of the said documents. "Here." He turned around to pass the paper to the blond only to freeze at the feel of soft lips against his.

"Tee-hee." Naruto's grinning face soon appeared in his view. He stayed like that for a stunned moment, but then had to duck his head to hide the forming blush on his face. He knew it was irrational, he still had his armor on, but while being with Naruto, he slowly gotten used to letting go of his sand protection.

At first it was strange seeing his face turn red on instances. When Naruto firstly pointed it out, he had the strong urge to hide away, but Naruto assured him that it was a normal human reaction and that he was beautiful the way he was.

He chided himself. Thoughts like that only made his cheeks burn even more. He narrowed his eyes at the paperwork at hand. Concentration. Concentration. Contren-

_Shudder._

He closed his eyes tightly shut at the feel of Naruto's hands on his shoulders.

"Naruto…"

"Mm?" the blond asked innocently, while not letting go of his hold of the redhead.

What made matters worse, was that more times than not, Naruto's intentions were, indeed, _innocent._

Most of the time he was just too dense to notice the effect he had on the redhead. But what made Gaara wonder was that he seemed to not have the same effect on the blond.

Wasn't Naruto supposed to be just as new at this? Then why could he handle it that much cooler than Gaara? Just a simple touch from the blond would make Gaara's skin tingle with electricity, his breath hitching and every thought he may have had in his head evaporate into the thin air.

Sure, Naruto expressed happinesss, tenderness, slight embarrassment, but nothing sort of the freezing that Gaara would do.

How much longer will he be feeling this gap between them? Was this just because he was so unused to a simple human's touch? He could only sigh in defeat.

"N-naruto…" he tried to sublty squirm away from the blond's hold of him, to regain at least half of his previously abandonded concentration. He had work to do _. A lot_ of work to do. And Naruto was the worst kind of distraction to him at the present.

"Huh? I just thought you could use some massage, you know," Naruto said casually while pressing his fingers deeper into the flesh that was at the mercy of his hands. "Man, Kazekage's work sure is tough. You're stiff as a board."

His strong fingers kneeded the stiff muscles in his shoulders, making Gaara momentary forget why was he trying to make Naruto stop in the first place. One particular squeeze of his shoulders, made Gaara let out a low sound from deep within, only to clamp his mouth shut from embarassement.

Naruto failed to notice the redhead's inner turmoil and nearly plopped on the floor, when Gaara sudenly stood up from his chair.

"Gaara…?"

"I'm sorry, but today will be impossible for me to spend with you. I still need to prepare for the upcoming Five Kage summit. I'm sure Kankurou could keep you company in the meantime." He started walking towards the doors of his office, Naruto following close behind.

"Ehh, if I wanted to have a chat with Kankurou I could have done that a week ago when he and Temari were visiting Konoha," the blond protested while Gaara opened the doors to his office.

He could only sigh in return. "I'm sorry it came to this."

"Besides, I heard form Temari that you've been working non stop for weeks now. You reaaally need some kind of distraction."

"I appreciate the thought, but I'm afraid I can't afford taking a bre-," he began to explain himself when his breath caught in his throat. "N-naruto. What are you doing?"

The azure blues were staring at him from the up close, his both tanned arms resting against the wooden doors, trapping the redhead in between.

"You need to rest."

The stubborn glint shone brightly in his eyes, staring at Gaara with an unwavering look.

"Naruto-" he tried to say but stopped short when Naruto leaned impossibly close towards his face, freezing him on the spot. His heart skipped a beat at the look the blonde was giving him, making it impossible for him to refuse the other boy. "I missed you," the blond whispered against his lips, sending a tingling sensation all throughout Gaara's body, before closing the gap completely.

Something desperate slipped away from the redhead at the feel of those fervent lips against his. It had been a while. Somehow no matter how many kisses they have exchanged, each one was only making them crave for more. Naruto's hand slid from the door and now was carresing the redhead's side, sending shivers with each touch. Driven by instinct, he started to reach out for the blond's hair when a very sharp and very _pleasant_ sensation sent his awareness back to focus.

They shouldn't be doing this now.

From slight anger at himself and frustration he broke their kiss and before Naruto could do much about it, switched their positions, his one hand slamming against the doors beside the blonde's head.

He was still panting slightly from the heated kiss the two just had, but the fiery look in his teal orbs made Naruto momentary freeze on the spot, stuned to silence. "Naruto. Despite me enjoying your company, this is my workplace. As a Kazekage, I have an image to maintain… and as a Kage-in-training so should you." His words spoke of discipline but he knew he was fooling no one, when he could hardly resist the temptation that was Uzumaki Naruto.

He heaved a sigh, while also trying to calm his racing heart.

When there was still no word from Naruto, he lifted his head to look at him only to do a double-take. Instead of feeling at least a bit ashamed of his actions, the blonde idiot was watching Gaara with heart-shaped eyes, adoration clear on his face. "You're so sexy and cool when you talk like this," he said with a grin forming on his face.

Gaara ducked his head a little, feeling a blush coming up his features. Only him. Take anyone else and he wouldn't be sparing a second thought but Naruto's words always effected him deeply. Hence how he miscalculated Naruto's determination at getting him distracted because the next moment he was once again being pressed against the hard surface.

"N-naruto….wait…" He tried to push against the tanned chest but only got a sharp bite on his pale neck, provoking a yelp and a shuddering breath escape him when the blond soothed his bruised skin with his lips. "Your fault for making that expression," Naruto whispered breathlessly against his skin. Gaara could only shudder under his ministrations, his one hand coming up to clutch against the hard body against him.

He felt a trail of kisses coming from his neck towards his cheek and the corner of his lips before Gaara dived in himself, claiming the blonde's mouth in a fervent embrace. The push and pull of the lips were soon proving to be not enough and Naruto pressed further into the other body, the two groaning at the sensation.

And the next moment he was being pushed away with intent, backwards, backwards until he was no longer pressed tightly against the warm body and could only stand empty handed in daze. He gulped tightly at the look of Gaara's present state. His clothes were rumpled, eyes glazed over with dilated pupils and those delicious looking rosy lips breathing out deeply.

He tried to calm his wild heart, clearly he had made Gaara angry, even if they both enjoyed the moment, but before he could do that, he was being dragged away from the hallway at high speed. He could only follow as they passed corner after corner until they finally reached a door, which his still slightly hazy mind identified as the entrance of Kazekage's room.

The doors closed sharply after the two stumbled inside and Naruto opened up his mouth to apologize at once. "Gaara…I'm sorry, I just thought…" he trailed off when a he found himself once again being pushed against the doors, only this time different.

That could become a pattern for them.

And then they were kissing. This time Gaara was holding onto him tightly, with hands roaming into the blonde locks, and his body pressing into the tanned one with desperation and need he could no longer deny. Naruto's arms found themselves around the pale body, digging his fingers into his flesh while slowly backing Gaara away towards the bed.

He spun them around and dropped to sit on the bed while dragging Gaara after himself, making him straddle him with their lips still intact. He gripped the redhead's waist in his possession, sliding his hands over his sides and enjoying each pleasant sound it provoked out of the redhead. He nibbled on Gaara's lower lip affectionately and leaned back, giving them both some very much needed air. He gulped, having to ask, but also unable to stop if he was being asked. "Are you sure? I thought you were angry…"

"I'm not," the redhead answered in a low, husky voice and the sharp yanking of his blonde locks to connect their lips again was all he needed to believe him.

* * *

Gaara woke up at the early rays of sunshine.

Slowly his body came back to awareness and he stretched slightly, sighing in his covers. After a while longer, he opened his heavy lids, blinking them open. His eyes focused on the faraway corner of his room and he momentary couldn't comprehend why was he here until the memories of last night rushed back to his mind, eliciting a blush to cover his now free-of-sand cheeks.

He closed his eyes shut, taking a few calming breaths before opening them again. This time ready to face the morning that was here. He proceeded to roll over on the bed, searching for the other body, only to find the sheets empty and cold. He frowned at the strange situation. Usually Naruto would stay with him until he woke up, snuggling to him and refusing to let him out of bed, ignoring all and any of Gaara's protests. Now, though…

He flopped back on the bed, closing his eyes.

He might as well go back to work.

* * *

He went by his day as usual. There were contracts to sign, missions to administrate – nothing out of the ordinary. But something was irking him at the back of his head. He couldn't escape the feeling like he was missing something.

And Naruto was nowhere to be seen. Which was beginning to slowly worry him. It was not like the blonde at all. What was even more strange, were the looks he was given when he asked about him from the two shinobi that were guarding his working chamber yesterday. They simply refused to meet his eyes.

But before he could interrogate them, Temari and Kankurou dragged him back to his office, work demanding his attention.

"I think we should do Chunin exams in Suna this year. Tsuchikage also thought it was a good idea," Temari was talking in the background with her one hand resting against her hip.

"I thought it was Konoha's turn this time?" Kankurou said from the side.

Gaara heard them only partially. He couldn't help drifting away to thoughts about Naruto. _Where was the blond?_ He hadn't seen him since yesterday and now it was already past noon. The crease in his forehead deepened as worry and an uneasy feeling scratched him from within. Something wasn't adding up here…

"Kankurou. Temari," he interrupted them both, gaining their attention. He knew he wouldn't be doing any more of his work until he got some answers. "Have you seen Naruto? He suddenly came for a visit yesterday but I still haven't seen him today," he said in a quiet calm while trying to clench his raising worry.

He was met by a dead silence

He lifted his eyes towards his siblings only to find them fidgeting uncomfortably in place while shooting each other looks of silent communication. Gaara narrowed his eyes at them. _What was going on?_ "What is it?"

Kankurou was still not meeting his eyes and Temari tried to avoid his also but Gaara's hardening look and increase in lines on his forehead prevented her from doing that. She gulped audibly and then presented him the most mother-ish look he had ever seen on her face. The face of comfort.

If he had been worried before, now his siblings were starting to seriously scare him. "What's going on, Temari? Where's Naruto?" He stood up from his chair, hands resting on the table.

"Gaara…" she began quietly. "Maybe you should sit down…"

His heart started to beat wildly inside his chest, and he closed his eyes shut. "Temari," he stressed the word tightly. "Just tell me," he pleaded. He needed to know the truth. No matter what it was.

"Gaara, you're having one of your episodes. If you would only sit down, it would soon pass," she said in a soothing voice, while trying to reach out for him.

Gaara blinked in confusion. "My _what_?"

Temari glanced at Kankurou for support who came to stand beside her with a sigh. "Gaara. You have a condition."

Gaara only continued to stare at him, unblinking.

Kankurou sighed in defeat. "The medics said it's your way of…" He cleared his throat, shifting his eyes to the side. "Coping with all that happened. It's involuntary."

The dark-ringed eyes narrowed impossibly thin.

"Coping with _what_!?"

"Remember when you were in Konoha for your engagement with Hoshino Mika?"

"Yes."

Kankurou nodded tightly and then breathed in, like preparing himself.

"Okay… do you remember when Konoha suddenly got attacked?"

"I…" he trailed off when he suddenly found a blank in his memories. He remembered himself coming to Konoha for a sole purpose of asking to have his engagement ceremony being held there but things didn't turn out that way, did they? It was when he and Naruto made a promise to stay together, him deciding to call off the wedding in the process. It was a long road for them. And not without bumps. Misunderstandings, jealously and hurt - were all experienced before Naruto finally told him he loved him. And asked Gaara to become his family. And then…

His throat constricted and suddenly he couldn't breathe. His eyes widened impossibly wide and he found himself shaking his head as visions of memories slowly started to invade his mind.

While the two relished in the moment of finally admitting their feelings for one another, a bomb went off in the distance. But it was not the only one. There was a second one. A second bomb Gaara saw descend from the sky and quickly go straight for…

All the air suddenly left his lungs. He clutched at the fabric over his chest, his heart beating wildly inside his rib cage as blood rushed to his ears. He couldn't breathe. Something inside his rib cage was scratching at him painfully and he just couldn't breathe.

Somewhere in the background he felt a pair of arms trying to soothe him and a pair of voices yelling at him to breathe while he started to hypervilate. It hurt. It hurt so much. He thought his heart was going to burst.

"..no," he spoke quietly.

He shut his eyes tightly, trying to regain control of his breathing even if only for a bit. Even if only to have a moment to ask. When he finally felt himself being able to breathe even a little bit more steady, he grabbed for Temari's sleeve and looked at her with all the desperation he felt, pleading her to deny it.

"Tell me what happened," he rasped, breathing heavily. His sister only gave him a look full of sadness and compassion and he shook his head, refusing to back off until he heard it.

"Tell me!" he yelled out, shaking from within.

The look she gave him would stay in his mind for a long time. The look which destroyed all the hope he had ever had for himself.

"He's dead, Gaara. The bomb killed him. I'm so sorry."

And that was the last he heard, before the darkness consumed him.

* * *

The next time he woke up, he wished to have never done so.

Unlike the last time, somehow this time the memories didn't wait for him to fully regain consciousness until they all rushed back.

Naruto was dead.

He thought he was dreaming, or having a horrible nightmare more likely, but he could clearly feel the silk sheets under him, and the agonizing pain inside his chest was just too real to be made up.

He felt cold.

His whole body felt frozen and numb, if not the sharp spasms of his heart, he might have considered himself dead.

How did it come to this?

His trip to Konoha wasn't supposed to end like this. He only wished to have an engagement ceremony there, which, now he couldn't see as anything more but a horrible mistake he nearly made. But when he finally decided to put a stop to it, to finally let himself believe in the happiness he was allowed to experience, it was ripped away from him in a second.

How did it come to this?

He closed his eyes shut, swallowing a lump in his throat. He felt his eyes sting under the eyelashes and soon a broken sound escaped his lips.

How did it come to this?

He still couldn't remember clearly what happened all those months after he had come back from Konoha but he could clearly remember losing his most important person.

Naruto.

His whole body shook as his heart continued to bleed, losing hope to ever be fixed. How could it ever be right again?

He stayed that way for hours or maybe days, he had lost track of time staying in his room, until even his heart ceased to feel the hurt and all he could feel was numbness and cold.

He was so very cold.

He breathed in.

He breathed out.

In.

Out.

Time went by without his notice.

One of those days, he found himself thinking back to the irking feeling he had in his mind. After hearing the heart-wrenching news he thought it was the feeling of not remembering Naruto's fate, but now he started to get that feeling again.

A feeling like something wasn't adding up.

His memories of two months he had stayed in Suna were still not back, even if he could remember the death of Naruto to every last detail.

His way of coping, Temari told him.

Apparently it had happened to him before.

A _condition_ he had.

And there it was again. That nagging feeling at the back of his mind. Did he really? Erase all the memories of his life past the death of Naruto? It wasn't very… him. If it were, he wold have done so the first time he had been betrayed by his father and uncle on the same day. But he remembered everything in detail. All the carnage he had bestowed upon his village. The guilt he still carried to this day would never leave him.

_So why was this time any different?_

He tossed his head towards the door which continued to stay shut for days and after a long time found himself in need to get past those doors.

Slowly he eased himself out of the bed. His muscles protested with his every move, but he forced himself to right himself upwards. A quick glance at the mirror and he was right in thinking he looked like a horrible mess he felt. Eyes blood-shot red, the rings around his eyes coal black like death itself. His ashen face… He couldn't be bothered, so he summoned his sand to cover it all up. The sand armor perfectly intact.

Others didn't need to know what he was feeling.

He made his way for the doors and stopped just a short breath away from them. He wasn't sure if he was ready to do this but something in him was urging him desperately. He took a deep breath in and with a second of hesitation turned the knob, opening the doors.

He froze on the spot, staring at the bewildered look of a shinobi blocking his path.

The man himself nearly tripped on his feet, clearly not expecting to see the Kazekage appear out of his solitude just yet but quickly rightened himself and greeted him. His partner came to stand by his side.

"K-Kazekage-sama. How're you feeling?"

Gaara continued to stare at them, no emotion apparent on his face.

The shinobi swallowed uneasily. "Is there something we could get you?" one of them asked, unsure, but having made no point in moving away.

Gaara narrowed his eyes at them, making the shinobi flinch at the look he was boring into them. "Make way," he ordered in a low voice, not even trying to conceal his authority of Kazekage. But they were still not moving.

"What're you doing? Your Kazekage has ordered you to move."

"We apologize," the two muttered, bowing to him. He could only stare at them incredulously. His sand started to swirl inside his gourd, ready to lash out at any moment if they blocked his path but before he could do so, a familiar voice reached his ears.

"They can't."

Gaara turned around at hearing his sister's voice. He looked at her questioningly and before he could ask, she added. "I ordered them not to. How're you feeling, Gaara?" she asked softly, but Gaara dismissed her question altogether.

Something else she said catching his attention.

Gaara froze on the spot. "My word is still the highest here, Temari," he stated, hoping against all hope to not be right in what he suspected was going on here. He trusted his sister wholeheartedly. She wouldn't do that to him. Not now.

Her guilty look wasn't very reassuring, though. "I'm sorry, Gaara. But I had to. They can't take your orders because I used The Law."

A chill ran down his entire body at hearing the words. He trusted his sister wholeheartedly. She wouldn't do that to him. He truly tried to believe that, only it _was_ happening.

The Law was supposed to be the power above and beyond the Kazekage in case Shukaku gone wild. Gaara gave this power to his sister because he trusted her but with Shukaku now gone there was no need for such power any more, yet she used it on him.

He didn't even try to hide the betrayed look on his face. How could she do this to him?

Seeing his expression, Temari tried to reach out for him, but he quickly recoiled, brushing her hand away.

"Gaara..." she spoke in a small voice and if it was another time he would feel guilty about making his sister feel this way but not now. Not when he found out that the only person he thought he still could trust had betrayed him like that. Certainly Kankurou was on this also.

He was truly alone.

His sister still tried to approach him but he stopped her advances with a cold "I don't wish to see you," and went back inside his room, shutting everyone out.

* * *

Once inside his room, Gaara leaned heavily against his doors, breathing in air, while his mind tried to understand all that was happening.

It was madness.

Temari said it was some kind of condition he had, but it was just not making any sense. And her using The Law on him... it would mean he had become a threat to the village. Which he swore to protect at any cost.

Did they think he would lash out because of his loss?

Naruto was the reason he strove in life. To become what he was today. He could never hurt his village in the name of _him._

His heart gave a sharp squeeze inside his chest when he thought of the blond. He had to take a breath to compose himself. Each step felt like pure torture to him, taking every last bit of energy from him, but he forced himself to move. He had to.

He had to because something was very wrong here.

He purposely made his way towards his desk and opened his drawers, rummaging through them.

He hastily pulled all the papers out from within, scattering them on the table.

He found some old contracts, missions that never had been used, and then at the back of the pile, he found what he was looking for.

His drawings.

If there was one way to make sure of this reality, it was that.

* * *

**6 years ago, a few weeks after the Chunin exams**

"A way to save a precious memory?"

The redhead slowly noded his head. To say Temari was caught by surprise, was an understatement. It was the first time her youngest sibling ever asked anything of her. And what was even more baffling was the earnest look in his dark ringed eyes. The eyes that were only associated with murder, killing intent and madness before, now had the most determined look in asking for advice.

Her brother was asking Temari for _advice_.

It was unbelievable in itself.

"Our stay in Konoha made me understand that it is possible for me to get hurt. Previously I thought that nothing could ever get past the ultimate defence but I was proven wrong."

"Gaara…"

"That's why there's no guarantee that someday someone couldn't get past my defences again. And because we live in a world of shinobi, nobody is ever safe of illusions. That's why I want a way to protect these memories."

The blonde kunoichi couldn't believe her ears when she heard the word coming out her brother's mouth.

To _protect._

It was not the word the redhead would ever use. Even if it was his own memories, _defence_ was the only way he lived up until now. _Protection_ meant actually giving effort of your own.

Gulping the nervousness away, she somehow managed to find her voice. "Well… you could take a picture next time then…?"

When she saw him frowning, she felt a chill run down her spine. She feared he would definitely kill her now. But the more she looked at him, even if cautiously, she started to realize that the look he was showing was that of a disappointment… a bit of frustration even.

"But…" she started again, and immediately got his full attention back. "If you wish for something more authentic then…"

That look was back again. One of earnest anticipation. It was a weird feeling to be looked at like that by her psychotic brother, but she couldn't say that it was a bad thing. "You could try drawing."

Gaara blinked in surprise.

"… drawing?"

"Yes. True, a picture might be more accurate in details but with drawing you can capture the events of the past _and_ the present and they are also ten times more personal. Of course that would only work if you were the one to draw them…" she trailed off and saw how her brother's gaze went downwards, a crease forming in his foreahead.

"I… don't know how to draw…" he spoke quietly, appearing to be disappointed.

"W-well, I'm sure you could learn!"

She hurried to assure him hastily and wasn't prepared for the earnest look she got from him in return.

"Is it possible?"

"O-of course! We could get you a teacher who would show you the way," she suggested carelessly but, of course, the chances of anyone willingly staying with Gaara in close premises were close to null.

When she shifted her gaze back towards her brother, his eyes had that dark, gloomy look again. At least not the one of the killing madness. That was at least something to be grateful for.

"I don't believe anyone would want to be my teacher. I'm nothing but a killing machine to them," he spoke in a low, quiet voice. And then she saw something absolutely maddening because it was her brother. Her psychotic, _killer_ brother. No way had she seen things right. But it was there. The redhead's shoulders slumped slightly, in defeat. And then a sigh escaped him. A sigh of sadness. "Well, it's not like I can blame them."

Temari could only stand frozen in place.

"Gaara, you…"

"It's fine. I'll learn it on my own," he dismissed her and his mask was back on. One of no emotions. Something inside her heart constricted at the sight. For just a moment there, she saw something so utterly _human_ in him. Something she never thought was possible. She watched him go towards the doors with a heavy heart.

He stopped in the doorway,his back to her and she nearly failed to hear it, as it was barely a whisper. "Thank you."

A thank you that was beginning of their friendship.

The first drawing didn't have any details except for the azure blue eyes watching him from the white sheet of paper. He wanted to capture that moment. The eyes that saw the same suffering but went on a different path. The one's void of blood and revenge.

Before long, all his free time would be spent shut in his room, drawing memory after memory.

The first detailed scene was of the day he fought Uzumaki Naruto. The imagine of the blond crawling towards him when they were both in no condition to move anymore. That unbeatable will and the effort he made to tell the redhead of the true meaning behind bonds and how one could share happiness and sorrow with another.

If he ever wished to live a different life and become someone closer like _him_ , he had to be sure of the memories he had. Making them into something that could not be taken away from him.

And that's how he started drawing.

**Now standing inside his room, 6 years after he started his first drawing...**

He rummaged through them one after one, laying them up side by side but the view ahead wasn't changing. The frown deepened on his forehead as he continued to push aside all the other sheets of paper and only searching for what he needed.

Only he never found them.

Over the years he had drawn more than he could count. He had saved most of his life memories inside those white sheets of paper. Everything was there.

Until now.

As he lifted a white sheet of paper towards his eyes, his heart started to beat wildly inside his chest. Anticipation slowly starting to fill his insides. He feared to hope, but the fact was staring at him right into the eyes.

Naruto, bathed in the sun in Hokage's Tower. A time spent with Gaara the morning of the bomb attack.

It was the last memory he had drawn.

* * *

The wind blew past the gates of Sunagakure. A couple of shinobi were standing guard, protecting their village from any upcoming threats. The day was slowly coming to an end and they couldn't wait to end their shift.

They kept their gazes focused right ahead when a tickling sensation made them dart their eyes downwards. They blinked in surprised to find sand particles gathering around their feat.

"Was there supposed to be a sand storm?" one asked in wonder and slight worry. If it was, they were not nearly prepared. They would have to warn the villagers.

The other frowned in thought, shaking his head. "Not that I heard of."

The two could feel worry start to rise inside them when more and more sand started to gather around them. They started to back away but the sand followed, nearly enveloping around their ankles. One gasped as a sudden realization came to his mind. He found the other's, just as frightened eyes.

"Wait, this is not a sand storm. This is-" he was cut off by a wave of sand gathering around his entire body, the other yelled out and tried to scram but was pulled back by sand locking onto his ankles, making him fall face-down.

The scene was looking way to familiar to the nightmares of years back. Two hearts beat wildly in fear as they remembered those days of their lives. The days when the whole village was still living in fear. The days of Shukaku.

The shinobi yelled out as they were being dragged away from the gate and then the sand covered them fully, stifling their shouts, until nothing was heard anymore.

There was a beat of silence and then the sand receded, leaving two unmoving bodies laying on the ground.

The next moment a whirlwind of sand appeared by the bodies, slowly making shape until it solidified into a man's body. Dark-ringed eyes opened slowly as he went towards the two shinobi.

He started to bend down towards the bodies when something caught him in his peripheral vision and he jumped back, a wall of sand blocking an attack.

He blinked as he came face to face with one of Kankurou's puppets.

"Gaara," his brother greeted him, a worried look on his face.

"Kankurou."

"What're you doing, Gaara?" his brother asked him warily, staying a good distance away from him. The redhead narrowed his eyes at him, observing him.

"I'm going to Konoha," he replied in a low voice.

Kankurou sighed in defeat. "I can't let you."

"I'm not asking, Kankurou. I am going."

"Gaara, you're not in your right mind right now. I can't let you do this."

He prepared his puppet, his fingers moving with blue chakra, ready for attack. It seemed he was prepared to take Gaara back by force, if needed. Gaara could only sigh.

They were not making this easy for him.

Gaara closed his eyes, bracing himself. "Then come at me seriously. Because I _am_ going to Konoha."

In a second, a wave of sand rushed towards the puppet, going at an impossible speed. Just as it was about to envelop the puppet, it leapt out of the sand's way, forcing the sand to chase after it time and time again. It made a loop in the air, going straight for the attack but Kankurou was an expert in his own field.

He thought he got the puppet in the sand only the next moment for it to appear by Gaara's side, ready to strike him and only his automatic defence saving him from the blade. Still, he remained unmoving on the spot, not lifting his hands to aim the sand. He wasn't going all out for the attacks after all. He was mostly only blocking or attacking Kankurou's puppet.

He glanced at Kankurou who still had a determined look on his face and an idea hit him. Something he was ready to test. Or they would be stuck in this for ever.

Slowly, he lifted his hand in the air, urging the sand to follow its path. He saw how Kankurou froze at some point, bracing himself for attack to come. Then Gaara moved his hand forward and the sand went flying straight for Kankurou at incredible speed. His brother's eyes widened, having been caught off guard. His puppet was still battling with the sand by Gaara's side and he never thought to guard himself. Not from his brother.

When the sand reached, a couple of steps away, he flinched, making a mistake of closing his eyes for a moment.

Time stood still.

After another minute, the puppeteer's eyes slowly opened up only to freeze in shock at the solidified sand staring right at him, a pointed end towards Kankurou. He swallowed tightly and followed his gaze towards the redhead who still had his hand outstretched.

"Gaara..." he whispered, unsure, and then felt the sand shift, bursting back into particles and then slowly receding by the ground, back towards Gaara, back inside his gourd.

After a moment of silent staring, Kankurou cracked up.

"I know you're hurting, Gaara. But killing your own brother won't bring Naruto back."

Gaara continued to stare at him, eyes unmoving. Kankurou was beginning to loose his nerve when a low, calm voice reached him. "You're right."

He felt his shoulders sag in relief when he thought his brother was starting to see reason but then Gaara spoke again. "It won't be necessary, if he was never dead to begin with."

Kankurou stopped short, freezing on the spot. "What do you mean?" he asked, confused. "If he's not dead then what happened?"

"Genjutsu," Gaara told him coolly, his eyes unwavering.

"Genjustu?"

Gaara nodded at him and then his eyes shifted, something troubled passing through them. "But I'm not yet sure whether you're under genjutsu also or you are the genjutsu itself."

Kankurou only had time for a single beat of his heart before his brother's eyes focused on him, dark and unforgiving and the rush of sand was too fast for him to block. In a second he got caught inside a tight grip of Gaara's sand, squeezing his middle. He coughed at the feeling of his lungs being crushed, eyes wide in fear.

"G-Gaara…" he rasped, his eyes watering in fright. "You're wrong… I…'m not a… genjutsu."

Gaara continued to stare at him, holding a firm grip on him.

"It was a fine play with people's fears," he started speaking again. "It's true, somewhere inside me there's a fear of being hated and feared by my siblings. But there's one big flaw in that. The moment Kankurou flinched, it was clear," he ended darkly, his eyes narrowing dangerously at Kankurou's figure.

"You think I can't ….fear you?" the other boy tried speaking again, whimpering in pain as he done so. "Even… even after…. you doing this?"

For a moment there was only silence. Gaara showing a faraway look, but just as quickly as it appeared, it went. Teal orbs bore into him, locking their eyes together. And the voice in which he spoke, send chills straight down his body. It was dark and unforgiving, not an ounce of mercy.

"You should. But not Kankurou. "

A pale hand lifted in the air, gathering sand. Slowly it morphed into a spear of sand, solidifying inside his grip. "The basic flaw of all Genjutsu is having an anchor in the real world. And you having no idea what it was for me, was your mistake."

He sent a dark glare at the impostor of his brother. To have used this against him… oh they would pay. Whoever they are. "You've messed with the wrong person," he said and threw the spear in his hold right towards the figure appearing as his brother. It impaled him straight in his stomach. The body started coughing violently, blood oozing out of him as his watery eyes looked at Gaara with a betrayed look at him. It wheezed a few more times until it slumped in his sand, unmoving.

Gaara stared at the image ahead, waiting and the next moment the body disappeared in a poof of smoke. His sand being left with thin air, like the body was never there.

"I'm impressed you could spot this level of genjutsu. Not to mention killing your own brother without even a flinch. Did you really feel nothing?"

The sudden voice right behind him, made Gaara turn sharply, a gust of sand making way towards the threat he now knew was real, but it got blocked. Of course. He was inside a genjutsu, after all.

He was met with a cloud of dark dust, making a shape of a man but not solid enough for details. The mouth was wide open in a grin, mocking Gaara from afar.

He narrowed his eyes at the figure.

"When I have my real brother to save I have no time to dwell on the imaginary one," the redhead said dismissively, calling his sand back to his gourd.

A sharp, screeching laugh escaped the dark figure.

"Ohh, a rational one, are you not?" He then considered, his voice gaining a shade of darkness. "Sabaku no Gaara, huh? I guess 'the unfeeling monster' of Shukaku, is not that far in the past yet, eh?"

He made a circle around Gaara, forcing him to follow the figure fly around with his eyes.

"Who are you?" he asked in a low voice.

The figure flew around a bit more and then suddenly appeared right into Gaara's space, leering at him from up close with a creepy smile on his what had-to-be-face.

"Someone who waited a very long time to finally meet you. And now that I have, we're going to play a game, Sabaku no Gaara."

Gaara narrowed his eyes. "Game, huh? I assume the bombs in Konoha were your first move, then."

With a laugh the shadowy figure leaned back. "That's right. And how did you like it?"

There was a pause where Gaara only looked at him, the enemy grinning to himself in a self satisfactory way. Gleeful of his victory. But then Gaara's face twisted in a bored look, making the figure blink in confusion.

"I'm not interested."

"Eh?"

"I have no interest in you, or your game," he spoke calmly, eyes closed. But when he opened them once more, his eyes bore into him. "But as the Kazekage of the allied nation of Konoha, I'll make sure you'll be dealt with."

The figure's face twisted in anger, the shape of it started to grow bigger and bigger, eyes blazing red. "You!…You dare mock me when you're the one who-!" he cut himself off, as if something was stopping him.

"I'm the one who what?"

"It's you who's going to pay, Sabaku no Gaara. Not me. You. And I'll make sure yo feel it in your every bone."

"Wait-" Gaara took a step further when he saw the figure slowly start to disappear. He needed answers. Besides having to know who was this shadowy figure, he also needed to know why did he attack Konoha, if he clearly had an issue with Gaara himself. And why did he attack Naruto. If it was a way to get to him…

As if hearing his thoughts, the figure spoke one last time, freezing him on the spot.

"Fear not. It soon will become your reality. I'll be waiting for you, Gaara."

And then it disappeared in the thin air, the darkness suddenly consuming everything.

* * *

With a flash of blinding light behind his eyes Gaara slowly felt himself regain consciousness. He grunted at the feeling of his body feeling sore and shifted on his side. Little by little sensations started to come back to him and he could feel the cold ground under him, the sand behind his fingers and then all the sounds rushing back in.

It was so loud, he had to grunt once again at the yelling heard from somewhere further away, the sound of flames and wails.

He forced to blink his eyes open, his vision hazy, as he did so, but then it slowly focused. His heart skipped a beat at the debris of Konoha. Everything was up in flames, smoke making him cough violently as he slowly gathered himself up in a sitting position.

He looked around himself but everything looked the same.

Just like a bomb going off...

His eyes widened at the thought as he realized what had happened.

He just came back from genjutsu, of a man who was most certainly the cause of the state Konoha was now currently in.

And then he remembered about the second bomb.

Naruto!

He tried to stand up but failed a few times, his legs giving way under him. He tried a few more times and finally stood up, rushing through the space in search of Naruto.

As he went, everything just appeared that bit more wrecked than he originally thought. Konoha once again under attack. He clenched his fists tightly and forced himself to move forward. Just when he was starting to give way to panic, right under all the debris, he saw a globe of sand resting in silence.

With a heavy heart, he made his way towards the sand and after reaching it, willed it to scatter. Slowly it came apart and he found a slumped figure in an orange suit. He swallowed tightly, a moment of panic passing him before he put his hand into a seal. "Kai!" he yelled out, urgently and the next moment there was rustling, groaning coming from the orange lump on the ground.

"Ugh, what was that?" the blonde coughed a few times and then feeling eyes upon him looked up. "Gaara?" He blinked in confusion.

The redhead smiled at him, feeling a sting in his eyes and exhaled in relief, just so happy to bore his eyes into those azure blues once again.

He made it back.

Naruto was back.

Alive.

And now they had a village to protect.

* * *

_**to be continued...** _

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos warm my heart, comments - make my day. Better day - better chapters!


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